Crystal Gem Academy
by MadeofLove14
Summary: Steven Universe is son to single father Greg Universe, they've lived the entirety of their lives in sleepy, tourist trap Beach City. Until he receives a letter from The United Gem Authority his unexpected acceptance into the most prestigious school on the planet. Questions about his illegitimate heritage will be answered as he learns how to be a gem among gems.
1. Chapter 1

**Alternate Universe! Gems egg! Geodes! Gemlings! Oh my!**

* * *

The familiar bump of the van, as it travels down the long road, lulled Steven to a doze. The waxy, warm paper bag in his lap, is filled with half-eaten crusts of breakfast sandwiches. There are still crumbs around his mouth, the familiar taste of syrup and process meat still heavy on his tongue. He can smell Dad's coffee and the dying scent of the ocean. And if he presses Sir Bearington against his face, he can still smell the sweet, supple scent of home. He does that occasionally, because whenever he looks out of the window and sees the foreign horizon, his heart begins to race painfully in his chest.

He can't even clutch at his usual shirt because he's wearing a thick, textured blazer over a button down shirt. There's a tie around his neck which might as well be a noose and real trousers around his legs. His worn pink sandals which he had been wearing since he could walk, had been traded for the shiny confines of dress shoes.

He had never owned anything like this before. Nanefua had taken lots of pictures; having helped raised Steven and she felt it important to document Steven wearing formal wear for the first time. She had given him lots of kisses and the best hugs a kid could ask for. Their little town had come together to send him off, all raving about the wonderful opportunity he was being given. Everybody had touched his uniforms, reading over the dozen of pamphlets he had been given over the last few months, and had even gifted money to buy him a gem-tech tablet.

He had cried during their last get together, unable to stop the many tears from running down his face. He would miss Beach City, his friends, the ocean and especially his Dad. He knew it was a wonderful opportunity, but he didn't want to leave.

Steven looked up a bit, blinking heavily as he woke up from his doze. Dad was still driving, his face lined and apprehensive. Steven looked around and with a shiver, realized that they were now in Gem territory. The brown-yellow weeds that had been a constant blur alongside the road had disappeared in favor of flat, expansive colorless land.

Steven had seen very few gems before. They inhabited the Earth, almost as populous as the human race, but they lived separate of human beings not interacting with his race much outside of politics and resource distribution. The gems he had seen had mostly been on television or the random shape-shifted gem traveling through town. He had seen a number of brightly colored animals with sharp eyes and wit growing up around town-but they never spoke, only observed and quickly left. He didn't know very much about them outside of his own few interactions, the history books at his elementary school had been pro-humanity. He knew that they had been sharing the Earth for only a few thousand years, they had gems on their bodies which was kind of like their heart (?), and were super strong. Steven had always liked that-they were like super heroes in his comics.

The Gem's land was mostly absent of plant life. Every now and then regulated zones of green alongside the glowing road, would pop up. The plants inside these glowing domes, weren't like any Steven had ever seen before. Sharp, angular, glittery green leaves and fluorescent, bright flowers that seemed to glow without aid of light. The dark tar on the unprotected road that they had been driving on had transformed into a glowing, white lane that had a shield-tunnel overhead. A quiet hum had joined in the symphony of groans and grumbles of the van. When Steven looked up to the sky, an unnatural shade of blue slowly began to brighten and he couldn't see the sun rising or the fading moon or the twinkling stars. Just a blank, bogus sky.

"Hey…um Steven. You awake their bud?" Dad asked, his voice a little hoarse. He took a long swig from his cold coffee with a grimace.

"Yeah, Dad." Steven whispered, dragging his gaze away from the unnatural sky.

"We're about to…about to get to the checkpoint. Y-you remember what's going to happen?" Dad asked, letting his hand rest on top of Steven's. Steven gripped his Dad's thick fingers.

"They'll do a security scan to make sure I don't have a destabilizers. Then the ship's gonna pick me up. A gem will be with me on the ship and she'll escort me to the school." Steven mumbled. A tiny gem, who had been named their guide to the long, process of sending Steven off, had arrived at their house, ensuring his Dad that Steven wouldn't be alone during the exchange process.

"Yeah, you'll be fine bud." Dad patted his slumped shoulders. "This school is going to be super fun. They'll teach you all sorts of cool stuff you don't get to learn in regular school."

"They teach you how to be a gem, Dad." Steven sighed. He slipped his free hand inside his blazer and felt the cold surface of his gem surrounded by his pudgy, warm skin. "What if I don't wanna be a gem?"

Dad sighed heavily. He ran his hand over his head and shifted his weight uncomfortably. "You don't have to be a gem son. You know that, you'll always be my Steven before anything else, right?"

"Yes." Steven said quietly, his eyes downcast on the fuzzy carpet of the van.

"The gems are just worried is all. You're one of a kind. Not many humans are successfully born from gems. The fact that you've made it to ten, it's amazing to them."

"D-do most kids _not_ make it?" Steven asked, clutching his chest.

"What? Oh, um…it's just that…I mean…no Steven." Greg's hand on the steering wheel tightened. "Not many kids like you really exist. Humans and gems are kinda a new thing. Nobody really knows how any of this works."

"How I work?"

"Yeah, how you work."

They sat in silence for a moment, Greg focused on the empty lane ahead and Steven gazing blankly at the sky again. He wanted to turn around, hoping to see the sun. He had seen the sun yesterday morning, so why did he miss it so much?

"S-s-so are there are other kids like me, out there?" Steven asked, not able to stand the silence any longer.

"Uh…yes. I think, maybe a few dozen across the world." Greg mumbled.

"Will they be at the academy too?"

"Probably not, bud. Most of them are on the other side of the world." Greg shrugged.

"Oh." Steven slumped back into his seat. He rummaged a crunchy edge of a biscuit from the greasy bag and nibbled it gloomily.

"But there will be other gems there who are way younger than you and some your age." Greg said, panicking slightly as the healthy pink glow of his son's cheeks seemed to drain into a pallid gray.

"Yeah, but gems are super smart, even when they're babies!" Steven huffed.

"The school teaches gemlings as well as fully mature gems." Greg said, trying to sound upbeat. "I know you've never seen a gemling before, but they're super tiny and they're like human toddlers. They're clumsy, they cry and need lots of help from their parents."

"Then they'll put me with the gemlings then, cause I'm all of those things!" Steven snapped. His breathing began to quicken and he felt like his blazer was going to swallow him alive. He wanted to rip it off, fling it out into the spotless road and go back home and feel the sun on his skin.

"Steven, I know you're scared. You're worried and I am too. But we don't really have a choice. The United Gem Authority isn't asking. And even if they were, you know I can't afford to send you to junior high." Greg whispered, shaking his head with his hand against his aching temple. "The car wash business is good and all, but I don't want you to like I did. I want you to go to college and be able to live in a _real_ house and have nice clothes-."

"What if I don't want that stuff?!" Steven yelled, shoving the greasy bag in his lap onto the floor. "I like our apartment! I like the barn a-and the van! I like our clothes! I like _our lives_!"

"I know you do Steven. It's the only life you've known." Greg sighed. "But when you get older, it's going to hurt when you can't afford to give your son new shoes every year or take him to the amusement park. You deserve a real bed, toys and you should be playing-not working at the carwash to help your old man. The academy can give you that."

Steven had known that they weren't well off. He knew normal boys got new clothes for school each year, got BMX bikes with real glossy paint instead of rickety bikes from the seventies, and that it was strange that he had never eaten a meal not once frozen or from a fast-food joint. He hadn't minded though. His Dad worked really hard to make sure that every day was fun and he gave Steven the best he could. But if he could give his Dad a house-a real awesome house that had space for the van and a room for them to sing in-it would be amazing. He didn't know how much money you needed to buy a house, but he knew working at a carwash with his Dad wasn't going to cut it.

"But what if I fail, Dad?" Steven asked. "I can't summon my weapon, only that dumb bubble."

"Steven, _that's_ why they contacted you!" Greg exclaimed. "Most kids aren't contacted until they're teenagers. You can summon a bubble and you're really strong."

"Can't all kids like me do that?" Steven asked.

"No, most kids your age to the academy _to_ learn how to activate their gem. You won't be with gemlings-they often need help to activate their gems to even project clothing! You'll definitely be with gems around your age."

"I thought gems were really old." Steven asked. Steven was under the impression that most gems attending the academy would be older than his Dad and probably even older than Nanefua.

"Well, yes a lot of gems are pretty old. The academy teaches gems as young as six months old to as old as like five hundred. They want to make sure you're comfortable though, so you'll be with gems around your age and only a little older."

"How much older?" Steven asked wearily.

"As old as Ronaldo or Sadie." Greg shrugged, glancing at a holographic sign revealing the distance to the Checkpoint.

Steven liked talking to Ronaldo and Sadie. They were a little older than him, but they had been good friends.

"Steven, we're uh…getting to the checkpoint." Greg whispered, struggling to clear his throat. Steven was silent, only looking down at his unfamiliar dress shoes. He missed being able to see his stubby, blistered toes. He missed the warm sunny feeling that he usually felt on a road trip with his Dad, the rich scent of pizza that Nanefua's hugs always contained, the creamy, sugary frosting of donuts from the Big Donut, or the constant stream of music that had been following him around since his birth. The awkward silence pierced his heart and he wished the van's radio wasn't busted.

"Dad, you'll call. Everyday right?" Steven whispered, his voice cracking as tears filled his eyes. He hadn't wanted to cry again. It felt as though he had been crying since the unexpected acceptance letter had arrived at their apartment's mailbox.

"Oh, every day like clockwork son." Greg said with a watery smile. "And you promise to try your best. I know school isn't too easy for guys like us. But you promise your old man, that you'll give it your best shot?"

"I promise, Dad." Steven blubbered, unable to stop the tears from leaking down his cheeks. He covered his eyes with his hands, trying to wipe them away. He looked up when he felt the van come to a gentle stop.

"Dad? What are you doing?" He snuffled, his nose refusing to stop running.

"I thought maybe we could hug it out now. Gems aren't too big on the whole crying thing." Greg mumbled, unbuckling his seat belt and opening his arms. Steven launched himself into his dad's arm. His Dad's worn fancy sweater smelled like warm hot dogs, concentrated soap and the wax on guitars. His familiar broad arms easily supported Steven and his scratchy cheek rubbed Steven's cheek. Greg squeezed with all his might.

"You're gonna be just fine, son." Greg whispered. "Just fine."

Steven laid his head on his dad's shoulder, breathing in his sweet, sun burnt scent. Even as he was holding him, Steven already missed his Dad so much.

* * *

 **A/N:** I had a dream about Steven Universe AU and I HAD to write it. Steven's pretty clueless about how the gem world works and since this is written in his POV, as he learns, the reader will too.


	2. Chapter 2

The checkpoint was the biggest building Steven had ever set foot in. Pristine, white tiles seamlessly stretched along the ground, not scuffed or dirtied despite the constant traffic. Humongous, flawless windows spanned the entire west wall, revealing an expansive aerial fleet. Two dozen, blue and white ships labeled with the United Gem Authority's insignia sat shiny and poised off the runway. Bright, artificial white light shone through the check point, gleaming off the many gems' colorful skin quite unnaturally.

Steven sat alone on an uncomfortable bench, watching as Jade-the gem who had met up with him at the front gates after his initial security inspection-waited in the check-in line. She held the electronic ticket that Steven had been sent and was waiting for it to be processed. The ticket would allow him and all of his luggage to board a class 'A' carrier-apparently one of the safest and fastest ships known to gemkind. Jade had pointed it out when they had first walked in-it was the biggest, shiniest ship in the yard; it dwarfed most of the fleet by nearly thirty feet.

Steven was people-uh...gem watching. He had never been in the presence of this many gems before and was beyond fascinated and a little nervous. Gems came in all sorts of shapes, colors and sizes. Some gems were tall, their long legs beautiful and elegant as they glided rather than walked. There were gems with arms thicker than his head, gems who were slightly taller than him, gems whose steps shook the ground, whose hair shimmered impossibly and gems with multi-colored skin and hair. None of them bustled or hustled, all rather calmly walking through the terminal with ease. They didn't carry luggage like Steven did, instead all carrying small, round devices that they pinned to their chests. Gleaming silver lanes set across the floor moved dozens of gems like a horizontal escalator.

Steven nervously sunk further into the bench, as gem after gem took notice of him and his huge bags of luggage. They didn't say anything, only stared unashamed at him. At one point a small gem, whose unsteady steps and distracted gaze looked strange amongst the polished, uniform crowd. She was thin and jumpy, but held firmly onto the hand of a gem who looked like her. When she saw him, she pointed at him and said something to the gem who held her hand and was promptly scolded.

"They'll be able to tell by sight that you're not a normal gem. But when they sense you, you'll feel like any other gem. It's rather confusing. Don't take it personally." Jade had explained earlier after seeing that Steven had frozen when two gems had paused to look at him after his Dad had driven off. He hadn't known what to do, should he smile or wave or stare right back? He wasn't very used to not knowing the people around him.

Steven sighed heavily, resting his head in his hands. Everything here was so different than the world he had known. He had thought he had missed his messy, poorly lit apartment when he and his father had first packed most of his cramped bedroom into the van, but he missed it now more than ever. From his brightly colored cheeseburger backpack, he snuck Sir Bearington out and hugged him tightly. He wanted to go home, he wanted his Dad to crash through the checkpoint in the van and kidnap him someplace where gems couldn't follow. He didn't care that he was 'unique' or 'rare', he would do anything _not_ to be here right now.

"Mr. Universe, does your stomach hurt?"

Steven flinched and looked up. Jade was now standing tall above him, she held his electronic ticket and some strange metal tags. Her shiny halo of straight green hair glowed dimly in the light. Her gem, nestled between her sharp collar bones and hovered above a dip in her tight, black uniform. She knelt next to him, clipping the tags onto his bags and handing him his ticket. The background color of the thin screen had been a pale yellow since the day it had come in the mail, but now was a bright glowing blue. After Jade had finished attaching the tags to his bags she sat next to him and looked expectant for an answer.

"M'fine." Steven mumbled into his collar. "Thankyouforasking."

"Well sir. They need a picture for the ticket. Once they process it, the United Aerial Faction will send your official transport documentation to the Academy." Jade explained quietly and slowly. She sat hunched over, her dull olive eyes struggling to pull Steven's heavy gaze from the floor.

Steven ignored her attempt to make eye contact and just nodded silently. He slipped off the bench, still clutching Sir Bearington and followed Jade to the photo booth behind the counter. A nameless gem smoothed his hair and fixed his tie before lifting him onto a stool. It took him three tries to look into the camera without a film of tears blurring his eyes. Jade didn't say anything as she led him back to his luggage, but she did awkwardly pat his puffy shoulders.

Jade retrieved a cart as they crossed another security check-point, easily hauling all of his luggage onto it without strain. She was about to begin rolling it onto one of the silver moving lanes, but Steven tugged at her skintight jump suit.

"Um…c-c-can I r-r-ride o-o-on it?" Steven couldn't stop his voice from shaking.

Steven had only been to an airport once in his life. He had been four and his grandparents who lived two states up had wanted to meet him. His Dad had needed to use a luggage cart as well and had plopped him on top of everything. He had felt as though he was flying, the air-conditioned wind blowing through his hair. He had always wanted to do it again, but after meeting him once, his grandparents hadn't wanted to see him again.

"Of course." Jade said, lifting him atop the sturdiest suitcase before moving onto the lane. Steven tucked his face into Sir Bearington, hiding a weak smile as they progressed quickly through the checkpoint. Steven looked outside the hangar, watching as the massive ship he had been assigned to was hauled away into a giant building.

Steven had thought that he would be riding on a ship with many other gems-like the airplane he had ridden before, but as it turned out Class A carriers were for private flights only. He, his guide and the crew would be the only passengers. A squat, round gem had mentioned so when they once again were stopped at another security check-point-all apparently customary procedure for passengers riding Class 'A' carriers.

"You're very fortunate." Jade said conversationally, leaning against the bars of the cart. She shifted her dark green bangs and tucked them behind her ear. "To be riding a Class 'A' MXH, I mean. There are pilots who wait centuries just to look at the inside of one."

"That's what everybody keeps saying." Steven whispered. He had shown his ticket to three attendants as they traveled closer and closer to the hangar in which the ship was being prepared. They had all paused and smiled, reveling over his good fortune of being able to ride on one. "What's so special about this ship? All the ships look cool."

"Class 'A' ships are typically reserved for government officials, the Diamonds, or exalted veterans." Jade explained, nodding occasionally to each gem attendant they passed. "It's rather unheard of for a child, especially a human one at that to be riding in one."

As they entered into the private hangar, Steven watched through the glass safety wall as his ship was worked on. It had looked massive earlier, standing tall and proud amongst the smaller ships; the top of its head seemingly scraping the sky. But now that it sat within the hangar's confines it looked beyond humongous. Its wide bulbous front sat upturned to the ceiling, gleaming flamboyantly in the light. Nozzles, lights, flaps, baubles, vents and fans littered the smooth white hull. Squat legs supported the humongous bulkhead, balanced on thick blue wheels. A top the giant ship sat a small glass dome, where Steven could barely see shadows moving within it.

A gem opened the door for them to enter the inner hanger and Steven jumped as a powerful blast of air burst through the space with a whistle. Long, clean wings slowly began to untuck themselves from the ship's side. The massive wingspan hovered several dozen yards above him.

Gems of all shapes and sizes hustled about the open floor, all wearing similar uniforms and headsets. Steven watched in awe as gems leapt atop the wings-tinkering with gadgets Steven couldn't see, there were gems under the ship's massive belly who were wiping furiously at the already shiny metal and gems who were unfolding a massive loading ramp.

Steven was about to ask Jade if the ship had seatbelts (his Dad didn't like vehicles without proper safety equipment), when a sudden gust of steam blew back his hair and Sir Bearington right out of his arms. Steven looked right and left frantically before spotting his friend laying limp next to the ship's mammoth wheel.

"I'll save you Sir Bearington!" Steven yelled, leaping off the stack of suitcases and chasing after his wayward companion.

"Mr. Universe, NO!" Jade yelled.

Steven didn't listen though, desperate to get Sir Bearington safely back in his arms. Nanefua had given it to him when he was just a baby. Sir Bearington was worn, his sides had split and had been sewn over and over again. His button eyes were a little loose and the left one was scratched. Sir Bearington wore a tie decorated with flames and stars that Steven had designed all by himself. He still smelled of home and Steven _could_ not, **would** not lose him.

Steven ran, pumping his little legs straight into the line of fire of the ship's auxiliary rockets. He couldn't see the gem who pushed the button, ordering the ship's computer to send a test jet of flames through them, but in a terrifying flash of realization-he knew he was about to feel them.

He tackled Sir Bearington with a relieved sigh but tensed as a roar sounded. He tried to summon his bubble, trying to remember the tingly feeling that ignited his bones and burned his belly, but the power would not come. He curled himself into a ball, tucking any of his bare skin into the thick blazer.

But suddenly he was pressed further into the ground as an abrupt shadow jumped on him and covered his entire person. A bright, blue flair of light and fire blinded him and a heavenly scent wafted about him. He expected heat but he only felt a comforting warmth. He could kind of see a shimmering halo wavering around him but the shadow pressing into him blocked most of his view. Gems were shouting and with a loud click, the blast was dampened and then turned off completely. A stunning silence echoed painfully in his ringing ears-the constant shuffle of gems had come to a slow halt.

"Mr. Universe! Mr. Universe!" Jade cried, running over to him-her heels clicking bewilderingly loud in his muffled ears. Steven sat up slightly, his limbs shaking as his arms tightened around Sir Bearington. Soft, warm hands wrapped around his waist and sat him up completely. He looked down at a large frilly dress pooling at his small feet.

"Mr. Univ-." Jade skidded to a stop and paused before dropping to her knees. "M-m-my Lady, I am so sorry. H-he's just a boy, a child-and I wasn't watching him well enough-and I-I-."

The gem who held him raised one of her large hands from his waist and halted Jade's nervous stammer. Every breath in the room disappeared actually, every bit of tinkering and fidgeting stopped and every gem in the room was suddenly on their knees. Jade looked terrified and her eyes remained glued to the floor.

"So your name is Mr. Universe?" The gem asked, bringing one of fingers under his chin and forcing him to look at her.

Steven's jaw dropped. Large, voluminous pink curls softly brushed against his cheeks, drawing a curtain between him and the rest of the hangar. She had big dark eyes that somehow demanded his complete and utter attention and soft lips that pouted as she stroked his head. She was the prettiest gem he had ever seen-and that was saying something. Gems were known to be astoundingly beautiful in an otherworldly way-flawless skin, smooth contours and perfect grace.

"N-n…no." He whispered, his voice hoarse with tension. He felt rigid and uncomfortable in her soft, warm arms. She smelled like a bouquet of the most beautiful roses. Her touch made his heart jump nervously in his chest.

"No?" She asked, her silky dulcets brushing lovingly against his ears.

"Yes, ma'am." Jade cleared her throat, peeking from under her bangs. "His name is Mr. Universe."

The gem turned toward Jade with a dazzling smile, her eyes hidden from Steven as she appraised Jade. " _He_ says it's not."

Jade dropped her head once again and shivered. The nameless gem stood up suddenly, still cradling Steven in her plump arms.

"What's your name?" She asked again, her breath unnaturally warm. Jade's breath hadn't been cold, but it certainly hadn't felt warm like a real person's.

"S-Steven…um…ma'am." Steven stuttered, becoming more and more aware that the gem who was holding him was probably someone really important. In his history textbooks, he had read that once upon a time that people had kneeled down in a similar manner only for kings and queens. He didn't know if he should wiggled his way out of her arms and bow or whether he should just stay there.

The gem smiled and then began to laugh. He bounced in her arms as she giggled and he couldn't help smiling. She threw her head back and laughed and Steven watched as the tension in the room drained away. Gems stuck their heads up and weakly joined in.

"Ma'am." She wheezed, wiping tears from her eyes. "Sweetie. You don't have to call me _ma'am_."

He only nodded, knowing that if he opened his mouth, his voice would fail him. He snuggled Sir Bearington a little closer and shyly smiled at the gem, who grinned radiantly back.

"Your honor, Pink Diamond." A timid voice called. Steven peaked over the gem's shoulder and saw a tiny gem standing in their combined shadow.

"Oh, Beryl there you are!" Pink Diamond gasped. "Is the ship ready for Steven and me?"

"Yes, ma'am." Beryl said with a slight bow. "The refrigerator unit you asked to be installed has just finished being fitted. Shall we board his luggage?"

"Yes, please." Pink Diamond smiled. Beryl bowed once again and quickly skittered off toward a number of identical looking gems and began barking orders at them. As soon as Beryl snapped to attention, the flustered activity resumed at an ever faster pace. Jade remained kneeling.

"Jade, you are dismissed." Pink Diamond said, shifting Steven in her arms and peering down curiously at the green gem.

"Ma'am. It is custom that because I failed at my assignment that I be reprimanded. If you would please tell me what I am to inform Security to do with me." Jade's voice was strong despite the slight tremble in her shoulders.

"Well…I suppose you can tell them that I would like to triple the security details in private hangars. Gemlings may wander inside and may get poofed during the start-up check list." Pink Diamond shrugged. "But other than that there's not much else that I think you need to tell them. Human children will be human children."

Jade snapped up, her heels clicking as she saluted. "Ma'am."

"Uh…bye Jade." Steven whispered, feeling guilty about the suddenly exhausted look in her eye. Jade bowed, but looked up with a slight smile.

"Goodbye Miste-. Goodbye Steven."

Jade disappeared quietly, blending into the growing crowd of gems. Steven watched as each piece of his luggage was quickly loaded and as the gate at the end of the hangar slowly began to open. The artificial sky gleamed a perfect crystal blue and the strips of brilliant green grass lined the marked runway.

"Well, I believe we should board the ship." Pink Diamond sighed, looking out to the runway with warm eyes.

"I-I-I can wa-walk you know?" Steven stuttered, aware of the many gems watching Pink Diamond cradle him.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Pink Diamond said, gently placing Steven back on his wobbly feet. The ship gave a loud whine, suddenly powering on. Steven flinched, pressing himself into Pink Diamond's fluffy skirt with a quiet whimper.

This was all too much. There were too many gems looking at him, Jade was gone, the ship was loud and they were about to board and fly into the sky which would surely crack and crash down on them. He clung Sir Bearington, he wondered where his Dad was. Was he back to Beach City already? Was he at the carwash or was he at home? Would he and Nanefua be having pizza right now? Did gems have pizza?

"Steven," Pink Diamond was suddenly level at his height, her dark eyes probing. "You may find this strange, but I don't really like flying in these ships. Perhaps, if you didn't mind…we could hold hands?"

So even _she_ was frightened of the ship too? Steven couldn't blame her, everything was just too big and noisy here. He missed the quiet shush of the ocean and the sleepy calm sunny days brought.

"I-If you need me to." Steven murmured, taking Pink Diamond's warm hand and reluctantly walking toward the gaping loading dock. He shuffled slowly up the metal ramp, Pink Diamond matching his sluggish pace with a lovely smile on her pale face.

* * *

 **A/N:** The class 'A' carrier looks a lot like the ship Pearl built in _Space Race,_ just really big. Thanks for the favorites, follows and just reading this. Thank you especially for taking the time to review.


	3. Chapter 3

"Sooooo…." Pink Diamond's warm voice snapped him from his terrified dazed. "I guess this is your first time on a ship like this."

Steven nodded shakily. He wanted to speak, but his voice wouldn't come. He wasn't sure if it was his general nervousness around her or his combined anxiety about flying in this ship and going to the academy that had his tongue in a vice grip.

He ran his shaking hands over his chest, gripping the tight belts strapped protectively around him. The egg shaped seat snuggled him in a hug, pressing his head into its warm confines. The edges of his heels hovered a few feet above the sleek black floor. He could see little glowing lines along the floor and walls zig zag here and there with every pulse of the ship. The three gems, who Pink Diamond had called pearls, sat a few feet in front of them. They too sat in egg shaped chairs; each equidistant from one another and each having access to a long, glowing control panel.

They moved swiftly and silently with a precision unknown to even the most practiced of human hands. The console they worked on, flashed constantly, flickering past unrecognizable letters and chirping quietly. The large glass screen that spanned the entire front of the cockpit, revealed how frighteningly high they were. Steven could see the tops of the control tower's gleaming roofs as they exited the hangar slowly. There were gems along the runway, waving fluorescent sticks and shouting inaudible orders-they were like colored specks from up here. The screen would adjust slightly, sometimes focusing on a random gem along the runway, bringing up a number of classifications; or off into the distance to see an incoming ship landing.

Steven flinched as a cool voice suddenly burst from the intercom in the middle of the console.

"MXH-15 serial code 330. Preliminary diagnostic scan completed, over."

The Pearl that sat in the middle, gently pressed the intercom, turning it a glowing blue.

"MXH-15 serial code 330. PD complete. Secondary 99% complete. Take off imminent, if willing." The Pearl responded quickly, her voice blank-almost robotic.

The subtle hum of the ship increased exponentially. It was a humongous drone now, fluctuating between warbling and purring. The lines along the floor increased their tempo, dancing and interlacing with every strong pulse. He felt the seat belts around his chest tighten and he heard a quiet click. A wavering, pellucid shield bloomed from the base of his seat, sealing him inside his chair.

He turned to Pink Diamond, wishing that perhaps there chairs had been a little closer so that he could hold her hand. He opted to hold Sir Bearington's paw instead. The same, pale yellow shield enveloped Pink Diamond's chair, wrapping around her long legs and even reaching to the top her billowing curls.

"This is just a stabilizing shield, Steven." Pink Diamond said, noticing the startled look in his eyes. "It'll protect our bodies during the takeoff process. Once we reach a stable air space we can go to the space I prepared for you. It'll be much nicer than this room."

Steven nodded again, swallowing despite his dry mouth. Pink Diamond had explained while they were walking to the cockpit that she had prepared a special surprise for him. She had promised that it would be much better than the rest of the ship-which had been alarmingly large, dimly lit, and darkly colored.

"Takeoff granted. Set position, to Isle 1001. Permission approved, arrival foreseen. Steady as she goes, over."

"Steady as she goes, over." The Pearl said, sinking her pale hands into the console. Steven felt the roar of the rockets and suddenly they were barreling down the runway at a terrifying speed.

Steven closed his eyes, covering them as well for good measure. The speed pressed him further into the seat and his stomach dropped into his feet as the ship propelled powerfully into the sky. He gasped as a wave of turbulence shook the sturdy frame of the ship. He peeked one eye open and watched as the artificial sky grew closer and closer.

"P-p-pink Diamond?" Steven stuttered.

"Yes, Steven." Pink Diamond's mellow voice easily cut through the roar of the ship.

"A-a-are we gonna crash into the sky?" He whispered, nervously peeking through his fingers at her, one eye still checking on the rapidly approaching sky.

Pink Diamond cocked her head curiously and looked out the screen. "No, we're not going to _crash_ through the sky."

Steven sighed in relief.

"We're going to go _through_ it."

Steven gasped. The ersatz, sunless sky shimmered erratically as the ship flew higher. Steven watched as the Pearl on the far left, punched in something into the console and a burst of energy shot from the ship with a heaving jerk. The blast sparkled briefly as it flew through the air before splattering as it hit the sky.

The absurdly blue sky pulsed, a powerful ring of light spiraling along the sky's dimensions. A forceful burst of soundless power rocked the ship and if Steven hadn't been tightly strapped in, he might've been bumping in his seat. The sky, the unreal beauty that had been watching him since he had entered into Gem territory, cracked where the shot had hit. Long, spindly cracks began to expand into gaping crevices that slowly yawned open into a Class 'A' carrier sized hole.

The ship eased through the hole leisurely, sinking into a humongous fluffy cloud. The weak blue sky looked gloomy and pale in comparison, the sun painfully shone and the dirty, dull ground expanded as far as the eye could see. Steven watched as the gaping hole slowly closed itself, sealing off the artificial world back into nothingness. As soon as the hole stitched its crevices back together, a shaky mirage of a lonely desert emerged.

"Okay, we're out of the dome." Pink Diamond said with a clap and a smile. "It'll take the ship a couple of hours to reach the top of the dome. So let's go."

…

Steven was in Pink Diamond's arms again. But thankfully, there were no gems to stare at the spectacle. The ship was mostly empty, most of the crew being dedicated to the engine rooms and given implicit orders to stay out of their way.

He hadn't planned on being in her arms again. It was just that his legs had failed him. Pink Diamond had fluidly stood up, dismissing the protective shield around her with a flick of her finger. Steven had tried doing that too, but managed to get his ankle caught in one of the seat belts and he had banged is head against the shield. He had only hung for a few seconds-it hadn't even really hurt, but Pink Diamond had freaked out.

So now he wasn't allowed to walk until they got to the room-which was apparently _much_ safer for a human than any other room in the ship.

"Here we are." Pink Diamond said, stopping in front of a black and blue wall. Steven couldn't see a door, or a door knob or even a super cool eye identifier thingy. Just the same long, pixilated lines of energy pulsing throughout the ship's smooth skin.

"Um…where is it?" Steven asked, shuffling Sir Bearington into his blazer's pocket.

"I hid it." Pink Diamond giggled. "I didn't want any of the crew accidently walking in and changing it while I was away."

Steven shivered as a sudden thrilling power rocked the core of his being, his gem tingled warmly. He saw a slight glow, coming from Pink Diamond and then a large echoing sound made him jump. He turned around when a warm gust of air brushed the nape of his neck and he gasped.

The dimly lit hall was suddenly bright as a door materialized in a pink glow. The sudden contrast in colors and light made Steven's eye sting a little. The room Pink Diamond had created was a pleasant mix between ivory and pink. The floor looked like carpet, but as Pink Diamond glided across it, little strands flew into the air. There was a large window, a big fluffy couch, a television, a refrigerator, and a little pink fountain with fat roses in it. Pink Diamond set him down and he immediately fell face first into the assumed carpet.

Except it wasn't carpet, but instead…pink grass. Not the scratchy kind that grows in yellow clumps alongside the car wash, but thick, luscious pink grass that smells like bubble baths and cotton candy.

"Whoa!" Steven exclaimed, sticking his head up and shaking the grass from his face. "How come there's grass in here?"

Pink Diamond chuckled, sitting on the couch and watching him fondly.

"The rooms in most ships are designed to alter the dimensions and properties to the whim of the gem. I've always loved the feeling of grass under my feet." She sighed, releasing her feet from her shoes with a flash. She wiggled her toes and Steven looked down at his shiny shoes with a sigh. This was the first time in his entire life that his feet had been confined for so long.

"You could take your shoes off too." Pink Diamond shrugged. "This is your space, I want you to feel comfortable."

Steven hesitated a moment, before happily removing his silly shoes (he wanted to fling them, but he knew Nanefua wouldn't have liked that) and placed them instead together next to the couch. He wandered to the window, shuffling his feet against the soft grass. He peered over the sill and watched the dreary land go by. The earth looked baked to golden perfection, the few hills and the mountains in the distant were a dark butterscotch. The ship was higher than before and he could now see below the dip in the horizon-shy, green tendrils of healthy plant life slowly blossomed.

"Ms. Pink Diamond, how come we're not in gem territory anymore?" Steven asked, looking at the familiar cruddy highway get smaller and smaller. "I thought the school wasn't in human territory?"

"Steven, you don't have to use Miss. It's a little redundant."

"What's 'redudant'?" Steven asked, shuffling over to the couch. He had never really been good at language arts.

"Redundant, dearest." Pink Diamond explained, patting the expanse of couch next to her. "It means you're repeating something unnecessarily. Miss is a human title. Pink Diamond is a gem title."

"Ooooh. Like Madam President." Steven whispered. "Well then what's your real name?"

"My real name?" Pink Diamond paused, her face momentarily pensive before she shrugged. "I suppose my _real_ name is Rose."

"That's a pretty name." Steven decided, nodding his head with the utmost certainty. Rose smiled before rubbing his curls. "Can _I_ call you that? Or is that for like your family and friends only?"

"Thank you, Steven" Rose whispered, draping her arm over his shoulder. "You can call me Rose. We're friends right?"

Steven looked down suddenly, his fingers intertwining nervously. He shrugged and pointed to the TV. "Does that work?"

"Of course." Rose mumbled, summoning a similarly themed remote from nowhere and turning the TV on. "Is there something in particular you wanted to watch?"

"Crying Breakfast Friends." Steven mumbled, shifting his legs onto the couch and leaning his arms onto Rose's lap. He didn't notice the starry gleam suddenly in Rose's eyes or the blush that now warmed her cheeks.

Rose tinkered with the channels before landing on 'Crying Breakfast Friends'. Steven wiggled happily before snuggling further into Rose's lap. He didn't flinch when her arm draped over him like a blanket. He watched the first episode, but couldn't enjoy as it he usually did. Typically, he and his Dad or Nanefua would watch together. Dad would scratch his head and Nanefua would make sassy comments that he couldn't understand.

But he wasn't at home, he was in an alien ship heading towards an alien school where _he_ would be the alien. His heart stuttered painfully in his chest as he suddenly remembered his burdens. He sighed heavily, watching as the ruffles on Rose's dress fluttered gently.

"Is everything alright?" Rose asked, looking down from the show. She had been watching quietly with wide, curious eyes. "Do you wish to watch something else? Or are you hungry?"

Steven shrugged again, avoiding her gaze as his mind raced. He rolled over on her lap and stared at the pink ceiling. Ivory white lines were carved into the ceiling, forming many, plump roses, where at their centers sat small glowing orbs of artificial light.

"Steeeven." Rose pouted, poking his cheek with a soft finger. "Something's the matter. Human children are usually so hyper. You've been so tense and quiet. Are you feeling alright? Your pre-medical exam said your temperature was a little elevated."

"I…I'm just k-k-kinda nervous." Steven whispered. "D-did you ever go to the academy?"

"No. I was educated on Homeworld. It wasn't a really… _good_ experience." Rose said. "I created the Academy thousands of years ago when White Diamond and I first came to Earth. We wanted a safer, more enjoyable method of education for young gems."

"Wait, _you_ created the Academy?" Steven gasped, sitting up slightly.

"Yep. I'm also on the administrative board and the…uh…I guess for humans it would be the PTA."

"Whoa, you have kids there too? Will I get to meet them? Do they have pink hair too? I wish I had pink hair." Steven said excitedly, burning off his nervous energy by rocking back and forth, grabbing at his toes.

"No, I don't have any kids at the school right yet." She whispered with a grin. "But I advise the PTA, there are thirty-thousand students attending so someone needs to direct them. The children I've sired in the past, typically _do_ have pink hair, but they usually get my eyes."

"My Dad says that all little boys look like their moms." Steven explained. "PeeDee and Ronaldo kind of look like their mom. And Kiki and Jenny look like their Dad. I don't have a mom though, but my Dad says I look like her too."

Rose nodded, her lips pursing. "Is your Dad o-okay? W-with you coming to the Academy? I bet it was hard for him."

"Dad says it was for the best. The first time I summoned my bubble, I couldn't get out for three whole hours-I was six. Dad didn't want to tell me, but I overheard him telling Nanefua that he thought I was going to die in there." Steven muttered, flicking to Rose's dark gaze. She was frowning and somehow, even when she frowned she still looked warm.

"The Academy documented that you first summoned your bubble six months ago." Rose muttered, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

"No. It's happened a lot actually. But six months ago, someone reported it." Steven explained. "I guess some tourist called thinking I was an unregistered crystal gem intruding in human territory-or that's what Dad said."

Rose nodded considerately, her lips still downturned into a worried frown. "Interesting. So have you been able to summon your weapon?"

"Nope." Steven said, popping the 'P'. "Dad says that summoning stuff like that is hard and you gotta go to school to learn how. But Dad says it used to glow all the time when I was a baby though."

"Can I see it?" Rose asked, still frowned. "Your gem I mean. I've seen a lot of half-gems before. Is there any redness, swelling or are the veins near the entrance point bulging or black?"

Steven untucked his button down shirt and shrugged his blazer off and set Sir Bearington on the couch. He lifted his shirt and showed his gem without shame. Usually he never felt comfortable with showing his gem off-even some of the familiars in Beach City were weirded out by it. But he didn't think Rose or any of the others gems would be weirded out. He was among people who understood.

She poked his belly, eliciting a few stifled giggles. She smiled and tickled him while closely examining his skin. There was no malformations that she or any doctor Steven had ever visited could see. His gem was seamlessly set into his skin and his body wasn't rejecting it or overusing it to support his organic body.

"You're perfect." Rose whispered, pulling his blazer back on.

"My Dad thinks so too."

"No, I mean that's wonderful and really you are. I mean, that your body and gem, they're flawless. Most half-gem, half-humans have some sort of defect affecting their body's ability to exist or draining their gem of any usable power." Rose explained.

"I don't get it." Steven mumbled. Dad had told him that he was going to need to be extremely blunt about his confusion or no one would explain.

"Some children, when they're born, their gem is underdeveloped because their carrier's womb didn't properly provide them with energy from their gem to properly support their body. Creating a new gem with an organic base requires a lot of energy and without the right supply… Well it's like if a human mother didn't eat enough while pregnant, the baby would lack energy to survive." Rose said, slowly thinking about each word before speaking. "If that happens, the new gem might suck the energy from the infant's cells or the child will deplete any and all energy in their gem-both resulting in…bad stuff."

"D-does that happen a lot?" Steven stuttered, clutching his own gem worriedly.

"Unfortunately, yes." Rose sighed heavily, her shoulders drooping. "The children who do make it. The majority of them have a few problems. Unnatural colored hair or skin, irritation or maladies around the gem, malnutrition, deformed body parts and organs, and they can't summon any power from their gem much less summon a weapon."

"So I _really_ am rare?" Steven wondered, his Dad's words echoing in his head. "Is that why the Authority wouldn't let me go to a normal school?"

"I suppose you could say that." Rose said. "It's policy that any and all unclaimed half-gem offspring be educated about their culture and supplied with gem documents and health care and such. But typically students still go to normal human schools until they're sixteen years old. In your case, with you being so young, they were concerned you might hurt yourself."

"My bubble doesn't really hurt me. Sometimes it won't go away, but if I'm in danger or something it appears to protect me." Steven explained, he turned toward the window, blankly watching a herd of fluffy clouds slowly press up against the nearly invisible dome. "D-do the gems at the school know how to summon their weapons already?"

"A lot of them do, yes." Rose said. "But a proportion of them don't either."

"D-d-do you think maybe I-I-I'll be able to make friends?" Steven whispered, his eyes suddenly wet. "And do you think there will be pizza? Are the teachers gonna be mean to me? Am I gonna get bullied again or w-w-what if I fail? I'm not very good as school Rose! And what if-."

"Steven." Rose said, her voice soft and warm but firm. She sat him up, gripping his shoulders gently, her eyes once again demanding his complete attention. "How long have you been worrying about this?"

"Since the letter arrived." Steven shrugged, rubbing at his eyes. "I-I didn't want Dad to know cause he was already so scared too. I didn't want to disappoint him or Nanefua either."

"Steven, I'm sure you could never disappoint your father. He's a good man and he loves you." Rose assured him, pressing him into her chest as she hugged him. "You shouldn't just let these things build up like that, it's not healthy."

Steven only sniffled, his heart still hammering. He hugged Rose back, enjoying her comforting scent as she rubbed his back.

"We have replicators at the school. They can make pizza." Rose whispered. "And I'm certain you'll make friends and if you don't, then we can be friends. You can just come up to my office and we'll eat pizza together-any time you want."

"Really?" Steven whimpered, looking up with shiny eyes and flushed cheeks. Rose blushed and hugged him ever harder.

"Anything for you, Steven." Rose whispered fiercely, nuzzling her face into Steven's rampant curls, even pressing a shy kiss to his forehead. "Anything for you."

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you guys for reading, the wonderful 25 favorites and 31 follows. I love each and every one of you and I thank you for being interested in my crazy alternate universe. Thanks to the wonderful reviews and here is the 'more' you've been asking for. I don't know how long it will take me to get the next chapter done- but if I haven't updated by the end of September, then PM the heck out of me because that is simply unacceptable.


	4. Chapter 4

_"_ _Pink Diamond, we approach Isles Way."_

A quiet, blank voice sounded through their pink room, interrupting their snacking. Rose waved one of her hands in the air and pink screen came into existent with a sparkle, she pressed a finger not covered in cookie-cat ice cream against it.

"Thank you. Send us a fifteen minute warning before we dock." Rose mumbled through a glob of sticky, sweet ice cream.

 _"_ _Ma'am._ "

The pink screen fizzled out of existence. Steven and Rose dissolved into giggles, Steven falling onto his back with a snort and Rose trying not to spit ice cream all over herself.

It hadn't been long after reassuring Steven of his worries, that Steven's tummy had emitted a fearsome, rumbly growl. Rose had cocked her head to the side curiously before with a twinkle in her eyes she recognized what that sound meant. Rose had been more than happy to feed him, nearly emptying all the contents of the tiny pink fridge she had had installed.

'Usually I could just program the room to create any machine of my choosing, but refrigerators aren't part of the ship's programming since gems don't _need_ to eat. So I had this installed especially for you.'

In it, Rose had it stocked with ice cream, cake, cookies, strawberry milk, soda, chips, pudding and yogurt drinks. Mostly everything was pink or strawberry flavored (which to Steven seemed most appropriate for such a pink being). When Steven had spotted his favorite ice cream in the whole wide world, he had shouted with joy.

'Wow! How did you get these? They're like super expensive now cause they cost too much to ship!' He had gasped, jumping up and down next to Rose, who was surrounded by a halo of snack food. 'Can we eat these? Pretty please?'

'Of course, have anything you like. If you want I can have these sent up to your dorm room.' Rose smiled, her head bobbing up and down as she watched him jump.

Steven then proceeded to empty the fridge of all the cookie cats and had spread them out on the floor and plopped down next to them.

'Come on Rose, let's eat some!'

Rose had scooted closer to him, watching him peel back the thin pink wrapper from the ice cream cookie curiously. Steven pressed it against his face and took in a deep breath and sighed happily.

'I've never had an ice cream befo-."

'WHAAAAAAAAAAA?!' Steven had gasped, dropping the cookie cat in his possession with a scarred expression. 'Whadya mean? T-that's like i-i-impossible. Ice cream is one of the most delicious foods ever! And cookie cats are the best of the very awesome best! Here, take this one!'

The ice cream seemed so small in Rose's hand and she had watched Steven devour both of cookie-cat's ears before hesitatingly nibbling at it herself.

"This is really good." Rose giggled, licking at one of her palms. The ice cream had begun melting down her wrist and she hadn't noticed until Steven had pointed.

"Yep! It's my most favorite ice cream in the whole world." Steven said through a mouthful of half-melted processed sweetness. "My Dad used to buy it for me all the time, but then the 'recession' thingy happened and we couldn't afford any extra good stuff."

Rose nodded, her dark eyes suddenly solemn. "You could afford food though, correct? You ate the standard three meals each day necessary to sustain yourself?"

"Yeah. Nanefua makes me pizza and fish and pasta too sometimes if the fridge is ever empty though." Steven said, rubbing his belly with a dreamy smile. "Sometimes, when I had to sleep over at Nanefua's house, she would sneak me gelato-it's like fancy ice cream."

"Do you and your father live at the Nanefua's house?"

"No. Well mostly we live in this apartment now-me and my Dad share a room, but we separate it with this cool curtain with rockets on it." Steven exclaimed with a grin. "But before then, we had to live in a lot of different places. Sometimes in the van or the barn. On bad months at the car wash though, I go stay with Nanefua."

"Y-you lived in an automobile? And a barn-isn't that where livestock live?" Rose stuttered, her unfinished cookie cat melting further into her palms, dripping down her wrist.

"Oh, well there weren't any animals or stuff anymore. Just my great-aunt and great-uncle's stuff." Steven shrugged, licking the chocolate crumbs off his fingers. "Are you gonna finish that?"

"You can have it." Rose muttered quietly, handing her half-eaten cookie-cat to him, her brow furrowed.

"Cool! Thanks." Steven gasped, beginning to nibble on the ears. "Did you eat too much? Are gems tummies really small? My Dad packed tummy-ache pills in my suitcase if you need some."

Rose shook her head, the subtle pink blush that had been ever present on her alabaster skin had faded away. "Steven, as I understand it you were never officially claimed by your carrier."

"Yeah, my Dad says that my Mom got really sick and died after she gave birth to me."

Rose's fist clenched hard in her fluffy dress, but her face remained blank, watching as Steven slowly nibbled away at his treat.

"But even if she… _died_ giving birth to you, your father would've had access to money. The Gem Authority takes care of its own." Rose whispered. "You and your father could've lived in gem territory, in a nice house with food all the time."

"My Dad says he didn't want to live in gem territory." Steven shook his head. "And I don't think my Dad really wants my mom's money."

"And why would you think that?" Rose asked, her voice shaking slightly now.

"Cause, does the money look like my ticket for the carrier? Rectangle, blue and kind of glows?" Steven asked, frowning slightly as he looked up from his snack, Rose wasn't suddenly looking to good.

"Yes, exactly, you've seen the standard electronic fund claim before?" Rose asked, a tinge of desperation leaking into her voice.

"Yes, we get one of those every month. Dad told me it was a gem newspaper." Steven muttered. "He would wipe all the letters and junk and then let me keep it like a nightlight until the glow goes away and then we throw it away and I wait until the next one comes."

Rose took a deep breath, rubbing her palms over her face. Her body gave a great shudder as she released the air with a heavy sigh. She looked up from her hands and stared sadly at him, before reaching out to pat his head with a miserable smile.

"Are you sure your tummy doesn't hurt?" Steven asked mistaking her stormy expression for pain. He suddenly crawled onto her lap and pressed his ear against her middle. "My Dad says you shouldn't lie if you're not feeling well."

"My…stomach isn't what's bothering me." Rose said quietly, sitting him up and hugging him strongly. "Thank you though for asking."

 _"_ _Pink Diamond, we've surpassed the Dome and the Isle Way is in view."_

"Oh, wonderful!" Rose clapped. "We'll be right up. After I show Steven."

 _"_ _Ma'am."_

"Let me show you something absolutely amazing, Steven!" Rose gasped, slipping him onto the floor with a renewed vigor.

Rose slapped both of her hands against the grass and Steven watched in awe as the grass dissipated with a bright shiver. The couch and the TV and the ceiling and the fountain faded away into nothingness. The mess of snacks on the floor zipped back into the fridge with a snap. The giant expanse of window began to widen and stretch, the sea of clouds becoming the new wallpaper and carpet. Steven gasped in awe, his legs still solid against the floor but his heart racing in terror. He took an unsteady step and watched in awe as his little foot created a tiny little wave of light, momentarily disrupting the golden sky.

"Whoa!" Steven gasped, looking up and down and left and right as fast he could. "We're in the sky! We're in the sky!"

"Yes, we are." Rose giggled, standing up and taking him with her. She stepped toward the window. "Hold on tight to me and don't look down."

Steven nodded dizzily and watched in amazement as suddenly an opaque lane stretched out into the empty sky, past the room and far past the curve of the ship's bulkhead. And suddenly the invisible wall that contained the sky dropped away. The wind roared into the room and thundered powerfully into Steven's ears. The faithful little refrigerator unit began to tremble and with a snap from Rose's fingers, it suddenly sealed itself shut and froze.

The fresh, gentle scent of sun and rainy days slapped Steven in the face and his eyes began to sting as the wind howled excitedly. Rose, despite the wind that surely would've blown Steven away, remained as solid as ever. Even her long billowing curls refused to be tossed around (not that Steven could say the same for his own hair).

Even when she began to walk, her form did not falter. Steven gasped as they quite literally stepped into a fluffy cloud. A gentle cold spray of mist brushed against his face and he stuck his tongue out to taste it-it didn't taste of cotton candy (as he had hoped it would) but it was a thrilling flavor nonetheless. When they reached the end of the lane, a slight shield wrapped around them and ended the howling wind.

"W-w-wow." Steven quietly stuttered, still slightly trembling in Rose's arms. He relaxed against her shoulder, nuzzling into her hair to take a well needed deep breath. His heart was racing terribly, beating so fast he thought he might just pass out if he was standing. He sat up to look past her and back to the slight hole in the ship's giant hull. He could see the cockpit and the giant rockets blowing wild blue fire as they continued to ascend. They were only about twenty feet away from the ship. The glossy white exterior gleamed proudly in the bright sunlight and if he squinted he could catch a reflection of himself and Rose.

"Look Steven, look at Isles Way." Rose pointed, the shield around them stretching to accommodate her long range.

Steven's breath left him. The very top of the dome enclosing this portion of gem territory was shielded by a strange black metal. On this metal there was a city, an expansively large city that even during the bright day still glowed an impressive neon blue. Itty-bitty skyscrapers stretched into the air, their tops being brushed by the low bellies of the passing clouds. Giant floating, silver satellites circled the city and tiny floating chunks of domed buildings hovered above it. But that was not what Rose had been pointing at. She had been pointing to the dozen or so colossal chunks of Earth floating in the air above the city.

As the ship rose higher hand higher, swerving slightly to pass through the many floating islands, Steven got an even closer view. The solidified soil had been reinforced with what looked like growing gem formations, metal beams and hardened pale roots of ancient trees that must've been the size of giants. At the top of each island there was a mess of emerald grass, shamrock green trees with fluffy, leafy afros, little towns, farms or houses bigger than three whole Beach Cities. Steven could occasionally see gems. Little moving brightly colored dots that would stop and wave at them. Tiny aircraft would occasionally pass them by, they seemed like hummingbirds compared to their whale of a ship.

"That…that big pink and white house way over there is one of my houses." Rose said, pressing their cheeks together as she lifted him onto her chest.

The house in question was humongous. It shared the top of an island with only one other house. It was mostly wood and covered with dozens of big windows. Every structure of the house was covered in plant life, from the expansive green lawn to the top of the weathervane balancing precariously on the tallest chimney on the house. Red roses, pink roses, white roses, blue roses, orange roses, purple roses, and even gold roses littered every surface that they could.

"That's super huge. It's like…one…three…uh…six? Uh like ten floors?" Steven gasped. "And that's a huge garden. Is that a statue of you?"

"Unfortunately." Rose shuddered. "It was a gift. Oh, and that over there, is the Kindergarten in this sector."

"Like the school?"

"Huh? Oh, not the school. It's what we call a place where abandoned geodes are helped to form and are raised until they're either adopted or grow out of the system." Rose explained. "A lot of geodes were abandoned during the war long ago and we keep them there in hope that they might one day hatch. If and when they do, they're raised until they're capable of survival."

"Rose, do you think I came out of a geode too?" Steven asked, watching the four connected buildings with colored diamonds on their roofs pass by.

"Wha-? No sweetie, half-gems don't come out of geodes like gemlings do. You're born like normal humans are."

"Ooh! What's that! What's that?" Steven asked, pointing at one of the few buildings not supported by an island. It looked kind of like a stadium or maybe a stage.

"That's one of the sky arenas." Rose said. "It's one of the older ones though. That's where you and your classmates will go when you want to spar or watch plays. But don't worry about the other Isles, there's a sonic rail that travels to most of them and you can go exploring during your free time-I can come with you if you like."

"Yeah, you can come with me." Steven said, grabbing Rose's hand. Rose's lips trembled as she struggled to hide a smile and squeezed Steven a little harder.

"And that right there…is the Crystal Gem Academy."

A fluffy cream colored cloud that had been idly passing through slipped past Isles Way and back into its herd, revealed the largest isle. Steven had though that Rose's house had been gigantic, that the checkpoint had been impressively large, and even that his hometown couldn't have been _that_ little, but once his eyes landed on the building all such assumptions drained away.

He had thought that the academy would look like just a bigger version of his elementary school, but it was more like a castle straight out of a fantasy novel. It wasn't made out of any material Steven recognized, but instead a shiny blue gem-like material that glimmered in the brightening sunlight. It wasn't smooth, but faceted material that sometimes in the dazzling light would flash violet or emerald. Two humongous stain glass windows the length of their very ship sat on the two tallest, titanic towers. One was of an entirely white gem, whose hands protectively cupped the gem on her forehead and the other was obviously Rose, her face blank as her hands cupped a gem located on her middle. Dozens of large archways, balconies, statues, and towers that were alone as tall as Rose's house decorated the building intermittently. Around the giant isle circled three smaller isles, which each had their own impressively large buildings similar to the style of the main building.

Steven's jaw dropped, a gleaming spark in his eyes had grown into a fire so bright that Rose could barely stand it. He had no words, he could only point and make incomprehensible noises of awe and joy. Rose began to laugh, a strong laugh that must've started at the tips of her toes. It shook them both, bouncing off the walls of their huddled shield and ringing beautifully in Steven's ears. He never wanted it to end. He didn't want this to end; this moment frozen in time, he wished he could stay here forever.

"Welcome to the Academy, Steven."

* * *

 **A/N:** Somehow got this done before the end of September. Next chapter, questions about some canon characters will be answered. I also should warn you guys that I **LOVE** Harry Potter, so the sonic rail is basically the alien-high tech train to Hogwarts. I realize that this AU is rather strange and may be hard to keep up with, so if you guys need me to further explain anything, I have no problem doing so. Leave a review or send me a PM and I'll do my best to answer your question. If I don't answer your question, then you're probably onto something (and I don't want to spoil anything).

Anyways, thank you guys for the favorites and follows. Thank you especially for the wonderful 21 reviews. I read them when I'm especially in a block and need some inspiration to even open the word document for CGA. So thank you very much and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Super long chapter, didn't know where to cut it. Not going to be typical though. Hope you guys enjoy.

* * *

Steven watched as two pearls heaved his luggage down from the cavernous cargo bay. It was humongous, probably designed to efficiently carry hundreds of thousands of pieces of luggage. The pearls had glided in without any noise, but the slight heels on Steven's dress shoes had echoed across the dark space noisily. Steven thought it kind of funny how big the space was and that the only cargo in there were his tiny pieces of luggage. He hugged Sir Bearington tight as the ship shook slightly, turbulence from the landing process. They were about to land at another checkpoint on an Isle not too far from the Academy. There a sonic rail would take him, Rose, and a host of other students up to the school.

Every time Steven closed his eyes, he could still see the glittering giant of a building. His heart was still racing and when none of the gems were looking he would pinch his skin to make sure this wasn't some elaborately, horrible and wonderful dream. Nothing in his entire human experience had ever prepared him for the otherworldly magnificence of the Gem world. He had always thought that gems were just like humans; lived like he did and went to school like he did, but they just did it better somehow. And now he knew, they couldn't be any more different.

"Sir, your luggage." A quiet Pearl whispered, presenting him his large bags. The Pearl was taller than Steven, but quite small compared to Rose. She, like all the other pearls Steven had seen, was incredibly thin, graceful and subservient. They all wore a seamless off-white uniform with the United Gem Authority's insignia, had cropped peach-colored hair and a similar blank look in their eyes. They did not smile-even when Rose did and they seemed curious about him but didn't act on that curiosity.

"Um, well do you think maybe someone could help me with it?" Steven asked, pearls may not be as intimidating as Jade or Rose had been, but it felt awkward trying to hold a conversation with them. If Steven didn't know any better, he might've thought them robots. They stared right at him, but he couldn't help but think that they were looking 'through' him rather than really seeing him.

"Of course, sir." The Pearl replied, grabbing the two pieces of luggage Steven hadn't grabbed and walked behind him towards the intrawarp. Steven liked the intrawarp, it was kinda like an elevator but then like a transporter beam from _Galaxy Trek_. Steven couldn't really operate it, but Rose had promised him that one day he would able to-it would just take some time.

Steven stood beside the Pearl, her slight hand resting on his shoulder as the warp pulled at his navel and lifted them upwards. Steven giggled as thousands of rooms sped by and he span slightly, enjoying the dizzying new sensation. The flurry of blue light was blinding and exciting, the weightlessness was foreign but vaguely familiar.

"Sir, is it pertinent that you do that?" The Pearl asked, her hand still anchoring him down from being sucked up too high.

"What does 'perteenent' mean?" Steven asked, flipping upside and down still giggling.

The Pearl sighed, the very first emotional response Steven had ever seen a pearl make.

"Hey, do you have like a name?" Steven asked, clinging to the luggage like a monkey, the Pearl's hand now clinging to one of his legs.

"My identification code is P-XA114."

"That doesn't sound like a name."

"That's because it's not, Sir." The Pearl explained. "Pearls don't have names, we have identification codes. Names would suggest exclusiveness. We're a singular unit together who are one in the same."

"Oh…so you don't even want a name?" Steven asked.

The Pearl's thin shoulder stiffened and she turned away from Steven. Though her face remained oddly blank, he could see one of her cerulean eyes twitch. "Most humans don't ask as many questions as you do."

"Oh, I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Steven mumbled, righting himself and sobering his expression. It hadn't been his intention to make her mad, he had only wanted to call her something other than 'the pearl'. The Pearl looked at him, a single eyebrow raised in confusion.

"I didn't answer your question and _you're_ apologizing?" The Pearl gawks, her careful mask slipping slightly. The strict rigidity of her mouth had weakened and obvious awe bright in her eyes. "I disobeyed you by not answering. You're not upset? You're not going to inform her Lady, Pink Diamond of my insubordination or my emotional response transgression?"

"Well no, why would I be up-." Steven didn't get to finish his sentence because suddenly they're back on the first deck. Since he's been floating slightly above the Pearl's shoulders instead of near her knees, he falls back onto the pad with a thud.

"Sir! Are you okay?" The Pearl picks him up and hurriedly begins to unbutton his blazer. Steven rubs at his brow and doesn't stop her but looks on curiously. The action is much too familiar to stop, he welcomes the familiarity. Nanefua used to do this every day after he came in from playing, check to make sure the pink gem in his stomach wasn't scratched or scuffed or cracked. He didn't know gems did this too though.

"Y-your gem is alright?" She asks, suddenly aware of Steven's curious gaze, she stops touching him with a vibrant blue blush.

"Of course. The rest of my tummy usually protects my gem if I fall and stuff." Steven laughed, slapping his belly heartedly. He sits up and helps her up too, ignorant of her bewildered gaze. "Come on, we gotta be seated before we dock."

They make it back to the cockpit in time to see Rose being strapped in by one of the Pearls. Steven's luggage is connected to the back of his chair with a click and the other Pearl bows and in long, graceful strides she walks back to the door.

"Bye-bye P-uh...what was it…uh P-XA114! Bye!" Steven waved happily. She turns slightly in the frame of the door and gives him the smallest smile he thinks he's ever seen then she slips out without a whisper of sound.

"Steven, did you have a fun time on the intrawarp?" Rose asks, her attention completely on him as her hands simultaneously types something on a tablet she had been handed.

"Yeah, it's super cool!" Steven shouted, letting one of the Pearls lift him into his seat. "Are there some in the Academy for practice?"

"There are intrawarps and planetary warps and even galaxy warps located on the academy grounds. There are hundreds of intrawarps on the main grounds, plenty for you to practice on-as long as you promise to be careful."

"I promise." Steven squealed, freezing as the Pearl began to click him into place. He began to bounce in place as soon as she was done though, a smile stretching his cheeks until they hurt. He wanted to hurry and get a closer look at the building.

"Now Steven, when we land, the ship will dock at a minor checkpoint and then we'll go to the sonic rail station. And from there, I'll have to leave you for a moment. I'm no longer allowed to sit with the students-White Diamond will scold me again if I do." Rose pouted with a disappointed sigh.

"That's okay, uh RrrPink Diamond." Steven stuttered, remembering that it was inappropriate to use her real name with other company. Apparently it was really rude to refer to a Diamond as anything else but their title.

"Are you certain? You were rather nervous about flying on the carrier."

"Well that's a whole lot different than a rail." Steven mumbled, blushing slightly and crossing his arms.

Rose giggled, sighing happily and leaning towards him. "You're adorable, Steven."

…

Rose had to leave him as she had promised, though they held hands through the large checkpoint. This checkpoint was similarly colored to the last, though certainly less crowded. These gems didn't walk as briskly as the gems in the last checkpoint had, they lounged around and leisurely made their way through the terminal. He saw handholding, tearful goodbyes and excited little gems running into open arms. Steven waved at any and all gems who smiled at him, which was dozens more when they saw who he was holding hands with.

"Now, your luggage will be attended to and I've asked that all your snacks be delivered to your room." Rose whispered, speeding through the checkpoint with eyes only for him. Even when the gems bowed, she paid no mind to them.

"So, is it going to be like a college dorm-my Dad lived in one of those once but only for like a little? Do I get a roommate? Is she gonna be okay with me? Because I'm a boy and all?" Steven asked, nearly running to keep up with Rose's pace. He knew the difference between human girls and boys, but he wasn't exactly sure why all gems were girls. Did that mean they were like human girls? If they were all girls then how did they make gemlings? Steven had asked his Dad, but had only got a scarlet blush and a stammered 'When you're older'.

"I've arranged for you to live in a single suite. Since you are a _boy_ and all." Rose giggled and then stopped as Steven's weight pulled at her hand. He had stopped and was looking at her in awe.

"I get my very own room?" He whispered. "Do I get a real bed? Is it gonna be a bunk bed-my Dad and I were going to build one but then we couldn't afford to. Wait, does a suite mean like a hotel-I've only ever stayed in a motel."

Rose smiled, rubbing his curls and pulling him forward. "You will get your own room, your bed will be real and it will be a bunk bed. And a suite means that you'll have a private bathing area and a kitchen area-."

"I'm not allowed to use a stove without my Dad or Nanefua."

"That's okay, it's just a replicator, a fridge, and a microwave." Rose shrugged, waving at a gem waiting near the entrance of the checkpoint. Steven watched as the three Pearls who had silently been trailing behind them, suddenly surpassed them and headed outside with his luggage. A small gem, who was only a bit taller than Steven waited for them at the door and waved back.

She was squat, but thick. She had red skin, almost like she had a perpetual sunburn. She had thick frizzy hair that she had contained with a red ribbon with the United Gem Authority's insignia on it. She wore a uniform similar to Jade's and Beryl's, a tight jumpsuit paired with boots and gloves. The difference with her though, was that she looked significantly less scared to see them.

"You're late." The red gem growled, her hands on her hips. Steven fearfully looked to Rose, wondering if she would make this gem as scared as she had made Jade.

"My apologies, Ruby." Rose giggled, smiling beautifully despite the growl.

"You know my rules, Pink Diamond." Ruby continued, now crossing her arms-not returning the smile. "How am I to manage your entire security unit, if you insist on _not_ being on time?! If you had been even a minute later, I would've have to summon the fleet to come after you."

"Steven, this is my head of security and personal bodyguard, Ruby." Rose rolled her eyes, bending down to nudge Steven closer to Ruby. Ruby shook his hand and Steven flinched at the surprising heat. If Steven hadn't known any better, he would've thought she had a fever.

"Nice to meet you, Steven." Ruby smiled, all her irritation suddenly drained from her face. "You're a lot smaller than most of those kids I've met."

"N-n-nice to m-meet you too." Steven blushed, backing up into Rose's sturdy thighs nervously.

"He's a tad shy." Rose whispered behind her hand jokingly.

"Kinda like my little girl." Ruby sighed dreamily, all remnants of earlier irritation completely and utterly forgotten. "She goes to the academy too, Steven. You might see her, she doesn't really talk very much but she's my pride and joy."

"I don't think G. has been little since she was three years old." Rose giggled.

"Well, she's going to be a warrior like her provider!" Ruby huffed proudly, thumping her fist against her broad chest. "It's good that she's so big."

"Ruby will be escorting you to the sonic rail station. I have to take a different route to avoid making a scene" Rose explained. "You'll keep Steven safe now won't you, Ruby?"

"You worry too much ma'am, I'll protect him like he's my own brood." Ruby guffawed, pulling Steven into a one arm hug. Steven returned it happily, glad to have made a new friend. He had been a little worried that perhaps Ruby would be mean-she had pretty, powerful glare. But she seemed really nice like Rose.

"Okay well, be safe you two." Rose sighed, summoning a pink screen and beginning to tap it. "Goodbye Steven."

"Bye!" Steven shouted, wriggling from Ruby's grip and tackling Rose with a strong hug. He kissed her cheek lightly and grinned when she cupped her face with a blush, snapping back to her full height.

"Man, I like this one." Ruby laughed, patting his back happily. She suddenly snapped into a salute. "Ma'am."

Rose only waved her hand at them, a pink blush on her cheeks and a growing smile hidden behind her hand. "Uh huh."

"Come on, Steven. We gotta get you to that sonic rail station in time." Ruby said, taking his hand easily and beginning to run. She turned to him mid-stride with a wide grin. "You already have her wrapped around your finger."

"Pink Diamond is very nice, we're gonna be friends." Steven gasped as they headed out of the checkpoint. There were hundreds of gems milling about in front of the station; most of them were students dressed in their uniforms, joined by their parents and younger siblings seeing them off. Nobody was gawking at the sky, which was filled with massive behemoths clouds that were so close Steven wanted to reach out and touch them. Steven couldn't wait until night time, maybe he would be able to touch the stars.

Ruby got him to the sonic rail station on time and protectively guarded him while he sat down to regain his breath. When gems saw Ruby, they inclined their heads respectively but didn't come closer or smile at them.

"Miss Ruby, um how old is your daughter?" Steven asked, getting weary of the many gems sneaking furtive glances at them both when they thought Ruby wasn't looking.

"My baby's just turned sixteen." Ruby sighed happily. "She's nearly six feet of my muscles and my precious partner's brains. And she's not even done growing!"

"Wait, really?" Steven asked nervously, imagining a gem who looked like Ruby's twin standing over him intimidatingly.

"Yep. She's lucky. Gems growth period generally ranges from ten years to twenty-five. My partner, Sapphire, we were the same height all the way through academy and then she hits twenty-two and she gains three inches on me!"

"Wow." Steven mumbled. Humans didn't usually grow like that. Would he still be growing when he was a grownup? What if he grew way too tall to fit in the van or swing on swings or too big for his Dad to hug him?

"You'll probably see her around. Pink Diamond told me you've been put in an intermediate tertiary course just like her."

"O-oh." Steven whispered. Was that a super hard course-it sounded hard? If Ruby's giant little girl was in it, he probably wasn't going to stand a chance. He had read the pamphlets for the school with his Dad and he knew that sparring was expected for all students to be sufficient in or they didn't get a diploma. Steven wasn't very good at fighting kids his age let alone six foot, muscly smart gems.

Ruby who had been at his side was suddenly right in his face with a concerned frown. "You've gone and lost that smile. What's the matter buddy?"

Steven shrugged and leaned back against the bench. Ruby joined him on the bench and rested her elbows on her knees. "Ruby, was your daughter scared to go to the academy?"

"Oh yeah. She's _really_ quiet and shy and she has trouble expressing herself. Her first year at the academy, I would pick her up and she would just cry and cry." Ruby sighed heavily. "Are _you_ maybe a little scared to go?"

"Kinda." Steven muttered, sitting up when he heard the sonic rail arriving. It didn't sound like a normal train; like a herd of horses who happened to be running along a thunderstorm, but instead sort of like a washing machine. "I've never gone to such a big school before. And I won't have any friends like before and I won't be able to hug my Dad…"

"Hey, don't cry kid!" Ruby gasped, putting an arm over his shoulders as he began to whimper. "It's gonna be fine. Everybody hates the Academy at first-well except maybe pearls. But don't you worry about it, Pink Diamond is working at the school full time now-which means you'll have a friend. And if she's there, I'm there and so we can meet up-I can show you pictures of my daughter and my beautiful partner. Sapphire, my partner, works at the school too-so how many new friends is that?"

"L-L-Like three?" Steven stuttered, nervously running his hands down his arms again and again.

"Yeah, don't forget my daughter. She makes four." Ruby nodded encouragingly. "You'll be making friends and having fun before you know it."

Steven nodded uncertainly as Ruby powerfully patted his back. The sonic rail arrived with a roar and a huge whoosh of air. The sonic rail was silver and blue, shaped less like a train and more like metal snake. As it settled in front of the station it released a heavy sigh of white steam and a quiet voice echoed through the station.

 _"_ _Sonic rail to Crystal Gem Academy_. _Boarding students, teachers, and administrators only. Parents please do not board the rail with your offspring. I repeat parents-."_

"Well, that's you buddy." Ruby roughly rubbed his curls with a grin. "Man, I haven't sent off anyone since Garnet was your age. I forgot how exciting it was."

"Y-you're not coming?" Steven asked fretfully, watching as a number of gems, big and small began to board.

"Nope, I have to go sit with Pink Diamond, but don't worry it's only a thirty minute ride up. We'll meet you at the end of the station, there'll be a big sign that says 'Commissions', we'll be right under it."

"Okay." Steven whispered, swallowing heavily and loosening his tie. He really wished his Dad could've come so that they could've held hands. Ruby saw him off with a warm hug and another pat on the back. Steven nervously stepped into the crowd of gems and tried to make himself as small as possible. The gems were all moving so practiced and they all seemed to know where to go. Steven felt incredibly awkward amongst them. Gems shuffled past him, ignoring him or either not noticing him. The crowd squeezed him tightly and he barely escaped from a flurry of skirts and pleated pants.

Steven ended up separating from the crowd and found himself finally alone in a car towards the very back of the train's length. It wasn't well lit and occasionally one of the head lights would flicker on hopefully and then quickly die out. But there was plenty of light from outside so he wasn't scared. Plus this car was different than the earlier carriages. This car must've been for when a whole lot of students were coming because it had seats on the floor and then a ladder to more seats on the ceiling. He looked up and down before realizing with a happy sigh it was thankfully and completely empty.

He climbed up excitedly, his nervousness and mounting dread momentarily forgotten. It was kinda like a bunk bed but instead with seats. It almost felt as though it was made specifically for him, the little roof over the seats just high enough to avoid hitting his head. He giggled happily, scooting over the seats and buckling himself in. He had a good view of the window and couldn't wait to see the clouds go by and all the cool looking Isles. He hoped Rose could see it all too, wherever she was sitting. He would have to tell Dad about all of this when he got to the academy.

He had only been sitting for a while, his head craning to see this way and that when the car's door opened up with a quiet hum. And in walked three giant gems.

They were all incredibly buff and tall, like bodybuilders or something. Their blazers and pants bulging with the effort of containing all their mass. The largest of the three was orange and striped like a tiger, with long white hair and a snarling smile. The second one was a golden yellow, with glowing eyes and short floppy hair with a gem like a blush on one of her cheeks. The third one was a little smaller but colored like sweet tea, her hair so short it could've been a buzz cut and even from his hiding spot, he could tell she had sharp fangs.

"Come on Jasper, we gotta make this quick!" The golden one snickered.

"Shut up Spinel, I know what the heck I'm doing." Jasper growled, flinging something…no someone onto the floor.

"Man, how the heck did this runt even hatch!" The tea colored one guffawed, nudging the limp purple body with a toe. "Kindergartens don't make 'em like they used to."

The little purple being sat up shakily, her long lilac hair covering her face as she gasped for unnecessary breaths of air. She spat at them with a hiss. Jasper kicked her so hard in the cheek that the thud reverberated loudly over the hum of the sonic rail. Her violet head dropped back down with a metal clank and she didn't move any more.

"Feisty little one ain't she?" Spinel teased. "I think that pretty little stone needs a few fault lines."

"Guys we can't crack her!"

"Shut up Carnelian!" Jasper growled, shoving at her two companions with her long, muscled arms. Steven watched in silent fear as the top of her hair passed below him. He pulled his feet up closer to his body and was thankful for the overhead bin casting a heavy shadow over him.

"We're just gonna scuff her up a bit. That's all." Jasper smiled nastily. "Teach her a little lesson about her place in our world."

And scuff her they did. Steven watched in acute horror as all three of them proceeded to stomp on her. Not just all over her body, but directly on a bright purple gem square in the middle of her chest. Steven flinched with each loud clink and eventually covered his ears as hard as he couldn't take any more.

"I think that oughta do it." Jasper sighed, standing to her full height with a roll of her shoulders. "Kindergarten clods ought to know better by now. You're no better than _half-breeds_."

The three of them turned with a flourish and left with dark snickers. Steven couldn't move. His wide eyes were glued to the door, his fists shaking clenched by his side. He didn't move until he was certain that they weren't going to come back and by that time the sonic rail had begun to move. The quiet hum of impossible speed was loud, but not loud enough to erase the gem's ragged breaths.

Steven slipped from his seat with a hard shiver and padded across the walkway of the second story seating and slid down the ladder. He froze when his feet touched the ground, expecting the crumpled gem to show acknowledgement of his arrival. He tiptoed slowly closer and closer, squatting only a foot away from her rugged form. He lifted a hand and shakily raised it before snapping it back to the safety of his side. He took a silent deep breath and willed himself to try again. He inched closer to her and then gently placed his sweaty hand on the top of her head.

"A-a-are you alright?"

The gem's ragged breaths ceased and for a terrifying moment, it was silent. And then with a speed not usually known to someone nearly half-dead, the gem leapt up and crammed herself into the farthest corner from Steven. It was now that he first got a good look at her.

She was little, small like Ruby but curvier. She had dark violet eyes and her hair was tangled and matted, but so long that it brushed the backs of her heels. Her violet skin was marred, with the occasionally blotchy bruise and footprint. She was bearing fangs and looked as though she might attack Steven.

"Wait, no! Please don't hurt me! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Steven cried shielding himself with his arms and tucking himself into a ball.

She was going to beat him up or something worse! With a whimper he felt something in his middle tug violently and with a bright flourish his bubble appeared.

"What the f-?" The gem gasped, sitting up from her crouch. "Whoa! Whoa, the heck, you're just a kid!"

"Please don't hurt me." Steven whispered, still covering his eyes. "I-I have candy. It's in my bags, but once we get to the school, I can give you all of it. I even have ice-cream."

"Ice-whaa? Kid, slow your roll. I ain't gonna hurt you or nothin'." The gem muttered, rubbing her chest with a wince while admiring Steven's bubble. She slowly buttoned her wrinkled shirt with stubby fingers. "Man, for a kid this is pretty impressive."

"What?" Steven looked up finally, watching as the gem sauntered around the length of his bubble. Despite the damage recently done to her, she walked without even a limp or wince.

"I mean, I've seen plenty of your kind, but man none of 'em could summon anythin' for dirt." The gem laughed. "Okay, look kid. Stop looking all frightened at me like that. You're making me feel bad-I'm not _that_ scary."

"Y-you're not gonna beat me up like them?" Steven asked, sitting up slightly. He watched curiously as with small, blinking flashes of the gem's gem, the little scratches and bruises faded away.

"Wait, a second, you saw that? I thought you just came in!" The gem asked then muttered to herself. "Man a kid saw me get my butt whooped."

"A-a-are you okay?" Steven asked, standing up now. The bubble flickered and then fell away. "T-t-they were really m-m-mean."

"Ah, don't worry about me, kid." The gem sighed with a dismissing wave of her hand. "Gems like them, who think they're all that, are just lumpy clods. Couldn't put me down even if they tried."

"I-I shoulda helped." Steven sighed, looking down at his loafers guiltily.

"Nah, it's good that you didn't. Clods like that hurt anybody even little kids like you." The gem shuddered, clenching her fists angrily. "Makes me sick, they shouldn't even be allowed to go to the Academy."

"Should we maybe go tell someone-like an adult?" Steven asked, looking back at the door nervously. He thought of Rose, who would stand nearly a foot above Jasper's head. "W-what if they come back?"

"They won't." Amethyst shrugged. "They've been doing this since I first transferred. They don't _ever_ come back. Anyway, my name's Amethyst, what's yours?"

"Oh, um I'm Steven."

"Cool. Looks like we're in the same class." Amethyst said, staring at his blazer suddenly. Steven did the same to hers and noticed despite its wrinkles that her blazer had the exact same insignia as his. "I'm guessing by the way you wandered way far away from everybody and didn't recognize Jasper and her goons, that you're new."

Steven nodded furiously. Amethyst sighed, once again rubbing at her gem with a grimace.

"Well, since you're so little and a halfie at that _and_ you saw me get my butt kicked, I've got no choice but to teach you the ropes." She put her arm around his shoulder.

"T-the ropes?" Steven asked, Amethyst steering them towards the seats. She helped him up and then hopped up beside him.

"Yeah, when I first came here I had to learn the hard way." Amethyst laughs. Steven likes her laugh, it's kinda raspy and it makes him want to laugh too. "Man, you shoulda seen me. I was a hot mess! But dude, you're even tinier than me and you're all _squishy_."

She poked at him playfully and Steven couldn't help but giggle.

"See!" Amethyst snickered. "You're even all ticklish. You're like a gemling."

"I'm not a baby!" Steven exclaimed with a laugh. "I'm ten years old, I almost a grown man now."

"Dude, I'm like fourteen. That makes me your senior. Which means either way, you have to listen to me."

Steven pouted but nodded, much to Amethyst's delight. He had never had a senior before-Sadie and Lars and Ronaldo had already graduated elementary when Steven had been in enrolled.

"Okay, I guess."

"Don't worry. I'll have your back." Amethyst giggles. "Now come on, before we get there, there are a few rules we need to go over."

"Rules?"

"Rules of the school. The ones they don't put in the handbook."

"Like what?"

"Like, don't tell anybody about what you just saw those gems doing to me. Cause not only will Jasper and her goons find out and stomp your gem till you can't even feel nothing anymore, but the administrators don't do anything for gems like us."

"Gems like us?"

"Kindergartners and half-breeds, little man."

* * *

 **A/N:** Tada! Introduction of a bunch of canon characters that took a really super long time to wriiiitttte! Also some OC characters, yay!

 **Some info:** So we've introduced Ruby who is Rose's security guard, whose partnered with Sapphire who works at the Academy. They have a daughter named Garnet who also attends the academy. Jasper goes to the academy and is presumably from a high-class family. She's friends with Spinel and Carnelian. (Spinel is specifically Yellow Spinel.) Amethyst goes to the academy but is from this sector's Kindergarten, which isn't something to be proud of.

In these next few chapters I'm going to veer from purely Steven POV, maybe give a quick dip into Rose or Pearl (yes, our Pearl is coming). Sorry for the length again, this thing kind of became a monster and I couldn't tame it at all. Thank you guys so much for the many favorites, follows, and especially your wonderful reviews. This story is a lot of fun to write, but takes me about a month to produce a chapter, so thank you for your patience. And to assuage your fears of me just leaving this to die, if that ever does become a problem (hopefully that never happens), I will certainly tell you guys. I personally hate it when authors just kill a story and don't tell their , because I'm working on a 300+ special week for 'Growing Up With Steven', the next chapter may be a bit late, so apologies in advance.

Thanks again for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

She'd been fiddling with her uniform again. She isn't supposed to be doing so but she can't seem to stop.

Her uniform had arrived a week ago and after unpacking it, she had been nervously messing with it whenever she was gifted idle time. Fourteen blouses, seven knee length skirts, seven pairs of trousers, seven pairs of uniform shorts, seven sweaters, four vests, seven ties, and three pairs of dress shoes (stockings, socks, and undergarments aren't included.) It calms her down to count them over and over again and press her face into them and smell their newness. Her constant worrying means that she's needed to iron everything twice already. The laundress, a pearl they fondly call Lily, had ordered Pearl to stop messing with them ("Tis not productive to be worrying clothes when they're nice and fixed.)

But Pearl's never been very good at following orders.

Teasing the finely pressed collar between her pale fingers after a particularly heavy-workload calms down her nervous tendencies. She had been flattening the pleats of pants and skirts, tying and retying her ties into immaculate bows, smudging the fine polish of her long dress shoes as she fiddles with shoe strings constantly after a work day. It kept her from chewing at her nails, pacing wildly and banished her stutter-all things that had doubled since she had received the letter.

She had just gotten off of cleaning duty and the heavy perfume of her master's floral perfume still clung heavily to her skin. She had laid her uniforms out earlier this morning in preparation for early attendance check-in occurring later that evening at the Academy. She would've like to fold it earlier, but had gotten lost reading a book about structural engineering and her Master had apparently left her living quarters a right mess.

Master had been in such a rush to get to the Checkpoint to meet an esteemed guest, that nearly every article of clothing she owned had been strewn about the room. A pearl named Alchymist, the head of housekeeping, had summoned her in addition to the normal service pearls in attempt to get the task done faster.

Despite her nervousness and lack of formal pearl training, no one in their master's household could deny her affinity towards organization or the speed in which she performed it. The task would've taken five or six hours (her Master owns so many uniforms, dresses and outfits it's a little ridiculous-not to mention that somehow half of them somehow ended up on the ceiling). But with Pearl, they thankfully are out in only three and a half. Alchymist lets her go early and excuses her from her next five hour shift.

Pearl found herself fiddling with the starched collar as soon as she enters her little room after the task. She wonders if perhaps she should hurry and iron them once more when a gentle knock interrupts her.

"Pearl, darling." Her Mother's voice is soft, so gentle that it warmly caresses her ears like satin. "May I come in?"

Pearl immediately folds her arms behind her back, straightening her wispy skirt and smoothing down the wayward strands of her peach-colored hair. She smooths the wrinkles of the poor shirt she's been messing with and drapes it back over her couch. "Of course, Mother."

Her mother enters in with her head bowed, as is respectful for all Pearls to do. Pearl's mother is still wearing her uniform, a simple pink dress with a pale apron covering its front, her willow arms covered in a long sleeve dress shirt and her long, curly hair pinned up to regulation.

"Mother," Pearl greets bowing slightly and accepting the gentle kiss on her gem. Her mother's lips are as soft as her words, so slight that it is though a butterfly's wings are caressing her skin. Pearl sits up with the gentle urgings of her Mother's lithe hands. Pearl stares lovingly into her Mother's similar looking face.

All Pearl's inherently look alike but there are always some minor discrepancies. It all depends really on their Mother of Pearl, the first four pearls whose gem encoding data created the entire modern pearl population.

Those made of Blue Pearl, often were known for the sheen of their strawberry-blonde hair, their blue hand, and their slightly more muscular forms. Those of Yellow Pearl typically have nearly sheared heads, black eyes and slightly bluer skin. Those of White Pearl are the smallest, with tiny feet and hands, their eyes a dim gray and their hair so pale that in the right light it looks white. Those of Pink Pearl are known for their beauty; fluffy and curly peach hair, luminescent blue and green eyes, long and graceful limbs, all with affinities toward beauty.

Pearl is of Pink Pearl. But she isn't like the others. She wasn't a replication born from the factories on the edge of the oceans, raised in a production center. No, she was the first natural born Pearl, since the beginning of all of pearls existence. Factory pearls were designed to be infertile, their natural cycles of mating extinguished before their first regeneration. Mothers of Pearl's were nearly so, but for some strange reason her Mother, the Pink Pearl, had been able to reproduce naturally.

"Have you been fretting, my little one?" Her Mother asks, looking towards the strict, clean room knowingly. She always knows, no matter how much Pearl tries to hide it.

"I'm sorry, Mother." Pearl whispered quietly, letting her head rest into lean muscle of her Mother's shoulder. Her mother's thin arms are strong and they squeeze the anxiety right out of her. Pearl takes in a deep breath of her mother's familiar scent. Usually every being that has the honor of living in the Pink House, smells of roses and sunshine. But not her mother, she always smells like the freshest ocean breeze.

"Nothing to be sorry for." Her mother whispered, rubbing Pearl's slight back. "We all get anxious, especially before such a momentous occasion. Did you know, I was once very nervous when I was gifted to our Master?"

"You've told me, Mother." Pearl giggles. "You were so nervous that you spilled her tea, you thought that she would strike you were you stood."

"Blue Diamond had been prepping us for our presentation. All I knew about her was that she was very tall, a brilliant war tactician and that she carried a sword nearly my height everywhere she went." Pearl's mother chuckled. "It didn't help either that when Master's nervous, she tends to freeze up. I thought she was glaring at me the whole time."

"But she wasn't." Pearl said. "She helped you clean it up and hugged you when you cried."

"And she didn't strike me either!" Her Mother exclaimed softly with a subdued gesture of glee with her hands. "All that anxiety eating away at my resolve for nothing. You needn't worry for anything either, my precious."

"But Mother, this isn't like first meeting Master. This is the Academy. Did you know that only five hundred Pearls are typically even admitted, out of the reported 30,000 gems that attend? I personally checked the demographics during my break and not only will I be a minority-." Pearl stuttered, allowing her mother to guide her towards her modest couch to sit down. "But because I'm going into the Advanced Tertiary class instead of the Pearl program, that means I will be twice of a minority if not an outsider."

"Well, do you want to be in the Pearl program?" Her Mother asked.

"No, Mother, I do not." Pearl sighed. "I wanted to apply to the Advanced Tertiary class. It's just that I expected to be denied is all. We are pearls after all Mother."

"You're not just _any_ pearl though." Her mother praised rather proudly. "You're my and Master's Pearl."

"Mother, Master didn't sire me." Pearl sighed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"Perhaps not, but without her you wouldn't walk the Earth today." Her Mother laughed airily.

It was true though. Even though her Mother had reproduced with some gem (whose name she wouldn't disclose-even by direct order or punishment), she hadn't been strong enough to carry to the full internal incubation term. Her Master had provided the energy necessary to continue Pearl's gestational development when her mother's gem had failed. It wasn't something often done, typically only done between two gems who were very intimate with one another. Had their master been any other, Pearl probably would've been born prematurely and sent to an analysis lab to die.

"If anything my heritage is rather unnatural. That makes me even more of an outsider." Pearl fretted, releasing herself from her mother's hug to pace. She's always had a nervous habit of constant movement. It's quite deplorable really, because pearls are designed to be able to sit still for hours upon hours. They don't get nervous twitches, or sometimes have debilitating panic attacks or are so shy that can't even speak when ordered to.

That's really why she didn't apply to the Pearl program. Because she's more frightened of being among the _real_ pearls than among the other gems. Pearls make her nervous, it always feels as though they're looking at her and seeing something wrong with her that she can't. There's no amount of training or strength of will that can somehow cover whatever it is up.

Of course her Mother nor her Master can see it. To them she's perfectly perfect and absolutely nothing is wrong. And if she dares mention it, then she'll be cuddled against her will for hours; bombarded with praise and kisses.

"Master, Our Lady in Pink, shall be there." Her Mother chirps, as though that somehow will erase the fact that her heritage and defiance of obedience won't be ignored.

"Mother, she says we may simply call her Rose."

"I know that." Her Mother chides with a soft click of her tongue. She's taken to folding Pearl's clothes while Pearl paces. "It is just…uncomfortable to me. She bestowed upon me a name much too similar. It is wrong for a pearl to share such a name with their master."

"Rosaline." Pearl mutters under her breath. The name is sweet and warm. Whenever Master speaks it, it's so filled with love that Pearl's slight chest aches painfully. Rose only says it in private and sometimes when she says it she takes Pearl's mother around the waist with one hand and kisses her in a way Pearl pines for.

"Yes, darling?"

"Mother…when will Rose give me a name?" Pearl asked, crossing back across the room to join her mother in packing away her things. She flops onto the couch rather ungracefully, earning a playful smack.

"I'm not sure." Her Mother shrugged. "It took Master forty years to come up with mine. Names take time, precious one."

"All of the other pearls have their names already. I've been with master since hatching and yet I still haven't got a name." Pearl whispered, nuzzling her face into her mother's skirt. Her apron smells of soap and herbs and sweet baked goods.

"Names are special, private things. They're our distinctions. Factory born pearls are taught that distinction ruins order. She gifts them names to give them freedom, while you precious one have been free since the day you hatched. Your name won't be liberation, it will be your power." Her mother hummed, stroking Pearl's short hair while simultaneously folding socks with the other. "It wasn't always like this you know. Our Master took a great risk by giving us names; by giving us permission to be more than one in the same."

"I know Mother." Pearl muttered. "Coral tells me all the stories. So does Rose whenever she catches me cleaning. Do you know Mother that it was Rose who encouraged me to apply for the Advanced Tertiary Program? She told me that my service through household keeping and tasking were meager options. She told me to shoot for my exploratory captain's license."

"I know. She came to me and discussed it with me."

"Did you know that there isn't a single Pearl who has a captain's license, let alone an exploratory one? The highest license pearls achieve are commercial pilot licenses."

"I know. Master told me."

"Master says that I can do it though. She thinks I'm capable." Pearl mumbled, idly rolling over so that she's looking up at her mother. She reaches past her mother's flawless cheeks and begins to unpin her long hair. Pin after pin sprinkled onto the couch, until her mother's curly mane is uncommonly unkempt and free.

"Master doesn't lie." Her mother promised.

"Do _you_ think I am capable?" Pearl whispered.

"I knew in the moment that you hatched, you would be something special." Her mother chuckled, gently kissing Pearl's gem. "Of all the pearl geode hatchings I've seen, you were the very first one to cry. You sang out into the world, a unique and rather angry song that demanded attention. You wanted the world to know you were here. You will take the world by storm Pearl."

Pearl's mother then proceeded to braid Pearl's rather short hair, a thin braid that sat at the top of her gem like a crown. Then with a shining cloth, she tenderly rubbed the smooth, white expanse of Pearl's gem until it shined without light. Then she was dressed, her Mother easily stripping her and then slowly buttoning her into her uniform.

Pearl could do it herself, but she let her Mother do it anyway. It was her Mother's way of spoiling her - seeing as it that Pink Pearl's service was solely intended to serve their Master only. Her Mother's thin hands lovingly caressed the sewed on patch on Pearl's blazer indicating Pearl's new status in the school.

No longer a Primary student, but now a Tertiary. Her skipping an entire schooling level was nearly unheard of, but none could contest her amazing progress.

Most pearls at the age of fifteen, if their master's couldn't afford their schooling, would begin entering the menial workforce. They would work for their master's household; raising their family's gemlings, tending to chores or work for their master's enterprises or companies. Once the reached thirty (the age that gemologist determined pearl's maturity levels stabilized and their internal growth capabilities decease), they could attend an all-Pearl academy to get certificates and licenses in commercial divisions or secretarial positions.

But not her. She would be entering into one of the most competitive programs at Crystal Gem Academy, fighting amongst gems who thought pearls were bred for servitude and that only. It was as terrifying as it was exciting.

"I won't fail you Mother." Pearl said, straightening to her full height and demanding her nervous movements to cease. "And I won't fail our Master."

"That's nice and all." Pearl's mother sighed. "But this isn't about me or our Master. It's about you. If you don't want to pursue this, then don't think my or Master's love will ever stop."

It would be easy to quit now. Just bow her head and beg forgiveness because she's made another mistake. She knew that her mother could never hate her for her weakness and Master only wanted her to be happy. Pearls don't take risks, it's easier to fall back on the familiarity of their predetermined destinies than to really break the mold.

"Mother, I am going to graduate the Crystal Gem Academy. I will receive the high honor of being the first Crystal Gem Pearl to acquire my exploratory captain's license. I will not let anyone, even myself, stop me from achieving this goal." Pearl said strongly, taking her Mother's hands and stopping her from pinning her Master's badge to her blazer. It was a pin that all pearls made for Pink Diamond were bestowed when they were no longer hatchlings, but officially gemlings. It was single, pink circle which inside held a singular white triangle surrounded by three varying shades of pink.

With stable, slender fingers she tenderly pinned her badge to her chest. She remembered moment she had been presented it.

Rose had held the normal Welcoming Ceremony for her new pearl charges-she had accepted 18 new pearl gemlings that year. But Pearl had not gone. Instead Rose had held a private little party with Rosaline, Coral, Ruby and Sapphire and their gemling Garnet. Instead of accepting her uniform and pin in an elegant curtsey, she had been in Rose's warm arms and showered with kisses. Rose had been the one bowing and had pinned to Pearl's little chest with a radiant grin.

 _"_ _With this pin, not only do I give you my wealth, knowledge and home. I give you my name and my love. You're more than your lineage, you're my family now. I love you so much Pearl."_ Rose had whispered, delicately petting Pearl's fluffy head. " _Usually I would say now, that I wish you to pursue your pearl duties and bring happiness to my house. But I want you to pursue your own happiness and your highest dreams, Pearl. Don't ever let your gem determine who_ you _want to be_."

Pearl puffed up her thin chest with pride and boldly lifted her head higher than she had ever dared.

"That's my Pearl." Her Mother grinned radiantly, embracing her daughter with a strong hug and a laugh that chimed like bells.

* * *

 **A/N:** I was offered someone's firstborn son to update, so I literally had no choice but to update early (though it may have been because I actually made progress on this story). Steven POV next time, then Rose POV or Garnet POV.

Okay, there's a lot of stuff this time around, bunch of background and not enough dialogue to explain it, so I'll try my best:

So a super long time ago, Blue Diamond made Pearls. She originally only made four, to present to herself and fellow Diamonds. Their helpfulness, talent, and beauty inspired her though to mass produce them. Pearls are created in sand factories on the coasts, where they're geodes are artificially incubated. When hatched they're then raised in production centers before being gifted to their claimed master.

Pearl's mother is Pink Pearl. Pink Pearl looks mostly like Pearl, except that her hair is long and curly-like it's been crimped but wilder. She's slightly taller than Pearl and most pearls in Pink House. Pearl's sire is unknown though Rose gave Rosaline the energy to keep Pearl's geode incubating and growing.

Pearls in Rose's house are given names - all their names having to do with flowers.

If you have any questions or need any clarifications, don't hesitate to ask in a review or pm me.

Thanks for reading guys! I really appreciate your reviews, favorites and follows and I'm glad you're enjoying it.


	7. Chapter 7

_"_ _Gems like us, we're at the bottom of the rung on the ladder, kid. Even if we asked for help, they don't do anything. I've known gems, who ask for help and suddenly their families are being 'persuaded' that they attend a different academic institution for their own 'good'."_

Steven numbly shuffled through the crowd of gems, Amethyst long behind him as he made his way to the front of the sonic rail station. She had advised him to get lost in the crowd, that way if he accidently bumped into Jasper or her friends, then he could easily disappear in the forest of legs. The moving forest were heading toward the main entrance of the station, to be given their rooming assignments and such, while Steven headed toward Rose.

 _'_ _This is the school is for the highest of society and their friends. Lowly citizens like ourselves unfortunately don't get any help for anything. Trust me Steven, you can't trust anyone who works administration to have your back, they're paid to turn a blind eye.'_

Steven stopped, sighing heavily and rubbing at his gem through his shirt. It was still hot and it was odd not to feel its usual coolness. Summoning his bubble always did that, it made him feel all tingly in the tips of his toes and in the base of his tummy. Sometimes after his gem activated - for any reason, his curls would tighten and the general fluff of his hair would disappear in favor of perfect ringlets, other times a perfume of earth and rain would sit on his skin so thick that Nanefua would let him skip his bath, and once he'd made an army out of the farmer's market on accident with a horribly productive sneeze.

"Steven? Steeeeeven?"

He had only just got the hang of it really - his bubble. He hadn't had any major accidents because of his gem or bubble since kindergarten. It was at the start of last year really, his ninth year on this planet, that suddenly his gem had become less of something _on_ his body, to something _apart_ of him. He still wasn't an expert, more often than not his gem wouldn't listen to him. But something inside of him had changed. The five or six bubbles he had made since the first, had suddenly tripled. Half of them had been ones he had actually intended too!

He hadn't felt it _this_ hot though since the beginning of the last summer.

He had been alone again, his Dad swamped at the carwash and Nanefua overrun at Fish Stew Pizza. Neither had wanted his help, instead begging him to go off and play. He had been wandering along the beach, approaching Jenny and Buck, who had been waving him over. The sun had been blinding and the heat had been so thick that the very air had been shimmering with it. One moment he had been tottering towards them, intending to play with them to pass the time, and the next…the next…

Jenny's scream had been ragged and piercing, it had hit him square in the chest, making his heart hammer at a furious beat. Then he turned around and the perfect, serene ocean has gone from an impeccable aquamarine to a sickening greyish-green. In the horizon, something's causing the ocean to bubble and boil. Everyone on the beach is frozen still, Steven can still see a mother on the edge of the shore, her arms outstretched toward a little girl Steven's age. There's a terrible moment of stagnant tension and then the ocean gives birth to something.

It's a colossal shadow, which opens its unearthly maw and lets loose an awful, indescribable roar. A humongous wave, three times the size of the tallest building in Beach City, suddenly is stampeding towards them at full force.

 _"_ _Steven?"_

A humongous discharge of air blasted him off his feet. The scattered tourists suddenly become a suffocating prison of long legs that trample around him. He still wasn't too sure on how he exactly had ended up on the edge of the shore himself. Looking face first at the incoming wave, Jenny's hoarse voice screaming his name behind him. One moment he's just a little kid, about to be swept off the face of the earth with his little no-nothing town and in the next…in the next…

He had called for it and it had come. It had stretched and bent at his command; expanding far larger than any time before, bigger than him or his Dad or even the carwash. The light had been extremely dazzling, tinting the sun and the ocean a vibrant shade of pink. The brunt force of the wave slammed powerfully into the curve of the bubble, shaking him to his very core. The girl who had been in the ocean suddenly washed up limp near his feet.

And as amazing as it had been, it had also been so exhausting. Each breath seemed less and less useful to his cause of staying upright and he could still feel the horrible burning acid that had been soaking into his strained muscles. The shadow, the monster, or whatever it had been had sunk back into the ocean with a rumble, the ocean died down with a quiet hiss of spray and Steven's gem had been so hot that he could've swore his wet shirt was steaming.

 _"_ _Hey, Pink…something's wrong-."_

Why couldn't he tell anyone? Why couldn't he protect her, he had protected his town so why not her? Why was going to Rose bad? Why was being a half-breed and an unclaimed one at that so terrible? Amethyst had said that there hadn't been any right behind it, yet Jasper seemed to believe in it with gusto. Steven had hoped that perhaps in this place, he would be accepted as he was.

In Beach City, there had been plenty of people who didn't flinch when they saw the gem embedded in his tummy. But there were nearly just as many who did. Parents that glared at him when his Dad wasn't looking, kids who were told not to touch him, and the curious constant stare from kids who didn't know what to make of him. Plenty of times he had come home with black-eyes and bruises; though most of the time he came home with notes from teachers accusing him of breaking kids' fists with his face.

After that day though, he hadn't been that awkward, smiley little boy, but someone to be aware of. The mistrust and fear were suddenly lessened and he had actually made friends his age. He had thought that now perhaps everything would be alright with the world, he could be just like a normal kid with weird powers.

And then the letter had come.

He had always been taught that Gems were a peaceful race, whose society was somehow much better than theirs. He had thought that meant no more bullies. No more mean looks, no more bruises, no more trying to claw the gem from his middle. He had been hopeful that he would finally fit in somewhere, _really_ fit in though. No more hiding, no more trying to act violent or angry like the kids his age (something that didn't really come naturally to him) and being able to test his newfound strength and abilities without shame or reprimand.

But it didn't look as though _anything_ was going to go his way this year.

"Steven, sweetie?"

Steven snapped to attention, Rose's voice dragging him from his reverie. Her voice always seemed to know how to do that.

"Oh, hey Pink Diamond." Steven smiled half-heartedly at her. She and Ruby were crouched down next to each other, slight frowns on both their faces. The station was blissfully empty now, the only sound was the gentle hiss of steam from the sonic rail. "Where did you guys come from?"

"We've been trying to get your attention for a while." Ruby said, also frowning and peering closer at him. "I saw you walking toward us and then you just stopped."

"Steven, you're not worrying about school again are you?" Rose asked, her hands suddenly warm on his cheeks.

"What? Uh no, I-I-I just think maybe I ate too much ice cream." Steven stuttered.

Amethyst had said not to tell anybody, especially administrators. Rose was both an 'anybody' and an administrator plus she even created the school-which meant it was probably triple bad to tell her. He knew it was bad to lie-his Dad wasn't going to be very happy with him, but he didn't want to get Amethyst in trouble either.

"Oh, perhaps eating all those cookie-cats was a bad idea." Rose muttered guiltily. Steven's stomach, which had been mostly fine-a tad achy, suddenly felt all twisted up and on fire. He didn't like making people feel bad or lying very much.

Ruby insisted then that they get him up to the dormitory quickly then, since the majority of buildings on this isle didn't have human facilities. Steven held Rose's hand as they hurried to the embankment outside of the station. They didn't follow the giant crowd of students idly heading toward the front of the academy-where Steven saw with a horrid clench of his heart the very top of Jasper's head.

Instead they went towards the back, past a large garden of trees with bark as black as ash and leaves as white as snow. Steven watched curiously as tiny fragments of gems embedded into their thick skin stuttered alive as they passed by. Everything here was radically different than the world hundreds of feet below. The gems had obviously adopted earth plants for their own. Each and every little bloom and blossom that graced the luminescent grass, flickered with a special pink light and smelled of sunshine and sweetness.

"I had a warp installed to reach your room." Rose informed them as they turned a corner into another large garden where a singular small warp pad sat. Large, kempt hedges and bushes with wild roses guarded the little pad. It looked old and unused, the usual shiny glamor replaced for something more somber and dingy.

"For emergencies, right Pink Diamond?" Ruby asked with a huff. "You wouldn't have installed this warp in _this_ garden; the garden that's rumored to be haunted by fallen gems, to escape from meetings right?"

"L-L-Like ghosts?" Steven whispered fearfully. He pressed himself a little further into the comforting billows of Rose's fluffy dress. He had never seen any ghosts before, but Ronaldo swore that they were real.

"Oh no, not like ghosts." Rose giggled. "They're _much_ worse than ghosts. They're mindless fragments of long dead warriors."

"O-ohh…" Steven mumbled. The garden didn't look very frightening, but who knew? It was dark, the garden sitting directly in the shadow of one of the towers. Sure, it was a tad desolate and the some of the hedges were overgrown, but it didn't look as though a scary undead warrior would come popping out.

"It's just a rumor, Steven." Ruby assured him, once again heavily patting Steven's back.

"She's right. I only started it because whenever I went here I would get overwhelmed with students-."

"Weren't you supposed to be working…ma'am?"

"Oh hush Ruby. All they have me do is push papers and shake hands with human politicians and greet other dignitaries from other planets. Forgive me if I needed a break from disciplining Yellow Diamond's rampant bunch of offspring." Rose huffed. "Anyways, I would be trying to sit and relax and then I would be overwhelmed with gems. So about four hundred or so years ago I started a rumor about one of the teachers scattering their enemies gem shards here. Haven't been bothered since."

Rose giggled mischievously and pulled Steven closer. Steven smiled weakly but couldn't bring himself to laugh with her. His gem, still hot in his core, was beginning to pulsate. He feared that if his abdominal walls contracted in the slightest, his gem would burn his insides redder than Ruby.

He clung to her when the warp pad activated, wrapping his legs around a lump in her dress that was surely one of her legs as he began to float. Ruby watched this in amusement and placed a hand on the top of his head when even his efforts weren't quite keeping him from floating upward.

They landed in a quiet hall. It was dark, but as soon as the beam dissipated, the warp pad sent a pulse from its base and the walls lit up.

It was like a replicate of the little room Rose had prepared in the ship. The hall was brightly lit, lights from fancy pink chandeliers that twinkled and glittered in the dim sunlight. The floor and walls were immaculate ivory, etched with illustrations of roses, forests and creatures that surely weren't from Earth. There were sixteen red doors, entirely decorated in living vines that occasionally blossomed a plump rose. The top of the hall was entirely glass, behind them was a giant plain window and at the end of the hall there was the stained glass window of Rose.

"Whoa, Rose Tower? How'd you get him in here?" Ruby gasped, stepping off the warp and surveying the hall in awe.

"It is _my_ tower." Rose shrugged, surveying the clean empty space with pride.

"But, no one else is boarding here right?" Ruby asked with a stern glare. Rose avoided her eyes with a devious smile. "You're telling me White Diamond, is fine with you willingly avoiding the hundreds of thousands of funds this board makes each semester?"

"As long as she receives her funds claim, she won't even notice." Rose shrugged. "It isn't as though I can't afford my own tower."

"So nobody lives here?" Steven asked, stepping off of the warp pad shakily. He had never not lived near anybody. He had been shuffled from establishment to establishment; a myriad of trusted guardians and neighbors who he was friends with always keeping an eye on him. Beach City wasn't the largest or noisiest city, but there had always been the slight buzz of people moving around.

"Not yet. I have someone who I'd like to board here as well. But she and her mother refused. If I can get them to agree then you may have a neighbor." Rose grinned. "Also, _Ruby_ , if you want due to the vacancy, Garnet can board here too."

"I'll ask, but she's such an adolescent now. She'd rather board in Quartz house or sleep in her mother's suite, then get to board here." Ruby huffed crossly. "She's so stubborn. Where she got that from I'll never know!"

Steven got the feeling that perhaps it was from Ruby, but declined from saying so aloud. Rose only giggled and then tugged gently at Steven to urge him forward.

"If you ever make any friends, I can arrange for them to board here."

Steven nodded blankly, his face suddenly devoid of any emotion other than pained confusion. He grips at his stomach, his gem still burning under his blazer.

"Steven?"

"Ugh…I think I'm gonna be sick." He moaned, the pulsating glow of his gem was near its end and usually it didn't make him so sick - fatigued and hungry and nauseous all at the same time, but never had he thrown up because of it. But combined with his rollercoaster of a day, his building stress, his guilt and perhaps his overeating of cookie cats; he was a little surprised that he hadn't done so earlier.

He didn't get to see his bedroom because the awful twisty feeling in his tummy had evolved and Rose had hoisted him under his armpits toward the bathroom. It isn't guilt that's driving him toward the bathroom now, but the unfortunate, ugly, and urgent nervousness that's about to end up in the toilet.

He rushes past Rose's skirts and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. He sees the briefest flash of perhaps the cleanest bathroom he's ever seen and then he's over the rim of the toilet and he's tossing his cookie cats.

* * *

 **A/N:** Two updates in a month, pretty proud of myself. No updates for a while-for any of my stories. Finals is coming up and I'd like to pass.

I know in canon, Steven's powers are a bit finicky, but in this AU, Steven can be scary powerful if in the right situation. Garnet's coming soon-but not that soon.

Thank you guys for being patient. Thanks for the favorites, follows, and your wonderful reviews. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I may not answer them till like after Dec 8th though.


	8. Chapter 8

"I knew this would be too much." Rose muttered to herself, pacing the length of Steven's dormitory. The hard wood floor, a special and rare Cherrywood that she personally had delivered over four hundred years ago, is graciously covered with a giant, cookie-cat themed rug. She's reverted the standard pull-out couch to a bunk bed (something she had done spontaneously when Steven had mentioned it less than an hour or so ago). The fridge is filled with cookie cats - though now that she can hear Steven, she's not sure whether she should just throw them all away. There's a brand new food replicator - grade A - installed in the kitchen unit she had had built a month or two ago. She looks over it all, having to squint slightly in the sheen everything she's bought has cast.

"What would be too much?" Ruby asked, staring at the rocket-space themed lamp Rose had replaced with the antique lamps that had all been from HomeWorld (the ones that cost more than the room and board for Rose tower alone). The lamp sits on top of a dresser drawer that Rose had personally decorated with stickers she thought that little boys might like. The grey-white walls that are typically throughout the dorm rooms have been replaced with pink (Rose hadn't been aware of gender norms when she had the service team paint it a few days ago - she's now regretting her lack of knowledge). She'd added curtains to the two large windows that overlook the main building, flowy and pretty that sparkle a little when the wind causes them to sashay.

Rose personally liked sparkly, pink things and had been hopeful that Steven would too.

"This."

"This?"

" _Thiiiisssss_!" Rose groans, waving her hand around the luxuriant set up. "I didn't listen! I just wanted to see him! But he was right! It's too much! This is all too much!"

Ruby gave her signature glare and crossed her toned arms. "Are we talking about the sire?"

Rose doesn't answer, instead walking to the window and peeking out of the curtains. She ran her hand over her middle absently and then turned back towards the bathroom. She flinched when Steven makes a strange gagging noise and began nervously pulling at the ruffles of her dress. She desperately missed his soft weight at her side, her dress still felt warm where he had been clutching earlier.

"I guess we're talking about the sire. You always get so quiet when we talk about him." Ruby grunted, sitting on the bottom of the bunk. She pokes at the several stuffed animals Rose has so kindly provided. It's a parade of plushy characters that neither Ruby or Rose really recognized, but they both thought were quite adorable. "Where did you even get some of this stuff?"

"Does it matter? Do _you_ think this is too much?" Rose asked again, slipping from the curtains and joining Ruby on the bottom bunk. She barely fits, her hair's much too big. She smoothed the several, fluffy pillows she'd asked for and plops her face into her hands. "He told me it might be too much but I was hoping…well what do you think?"

"My opinion as a parent?" Ruby asked, grabbing a cookie cat plushy and admiring it. "Or as an Authority paid servant?"

"As a parent first, always first." Rose mumbled tiredly, sneaking a peak toward the bathroom, which had finally gone quiet.

"He's young, he's innocent and he misses his sire - what did he call him…dad. He misses his dad." Ruby shrugged. "Besides ma'am, I don't think he's regurgitating because of all _this_. Nearly a fifth of the human transfers experience nausea after riding the rail."

"But he's not just _any_ human student." Rose groaned. "I want him to like me!"

"Nooooo?" Ruby teased, waving around the over decorated room. "I couldn't tell."

"What? Is it really too much? Oh my galaxies, I knew it!"

Ruby started laughing before she can stop herself. She bit her fists and Rose watched with a pout as Ruby's broad shoulders shook powerfully. Rose is about to ask again if perhaps it really is _too_ much, if it was selfish of her to have asked him here so early. She hadn't meant to make him sick at all, she had only wanted to spend a little time with him and give him all the sweets she had seen on the television (the one White Diamond had told her not to buy but she had bought anyway). Ruby _has_ to tell her if this is too much because if it is, then she ought to cancel the order for the bike and the laptop and…whatever she might have accidently bought in haste of Steven's arrival (she feels as though she's bought a living creature - something fluffy that she probably shouldn't have.)

"Ruuuubbby, stop laughing and heeeelllp." Rose whined, shaking the little red gem lightly. "Ruby, I _want_ him to like me. Nobody likes gems who make them throw up!"

"Rose, I think he would've liked you even if you hadn't done all this." Ruby snorted, trying her best to stem her giggles. "You've been voted the most liked gem leader for the past ten millennia by all gem generations. Gems _and_ humans love you."

"You don't know that." Rose mumbled surly. "We don't know what his sire has been telling him. What if he's like Phena and he-he's telling him all sorts of bad things about me. It's not like I don't deserve it of course, but he's just so cute and soft and he smells like the ocean and a spring-fresh gardens! Did you get to talk to him more after I left? Doesn't he have the cutest voice - oh and he's so kind and sweet."

"You sound worse than me." Ruby chuckled.

"I haven't a clue what you mean." Rose sniffed, crossing her arms with a pout.

"I personally don't believe there's anyone on this planet, who can twist words as well as her Highness, White Diamond." Ruby grunted with a dark smirk. "Besides, Steven says he likes you and that you're friends."

"Really?" Rose's eyes have somehow managed to get even larger in their fretful state. Tears stick to her long lashes as she blinks rapidly.

"Rose you're overthinking this." Ruby said. "This isn't a tactical war plan that requires the entirety of your mental capacities to solve. He's a child."

"They're basically the same thing."

"Rose!"

"At least with a war, you can get over it with a few centuries. You can work to mend the damaged you've caused." Rose muttered darkly. "Children stay with you forever, they cannot mend, they break and _we_ break them. I want him to like me, Ruby. Out of all my sired offspring, I would at least like for one of them to really like me. It's horrible to walk into a room and watch your gemlings smiles disappear or hear what they say about you behind your back."

"Steven isn't a gemling though. He's a human."

"Which really makes it even worse." Rose exclaimed quietly, gripping the plentiful cloth bundled around her legs. "Humans are so delicate and sweet and innocent. They get stuck in a mindset and they don't have centuries to get over grudges. Do you know how many humans I've seen be twisted by our foolish disregard for life - we almost destroyed this planet! Yellow Diamond's wrought of this planet still hasn't ended and humans still haven't forgotten."

"He's a baby." Ruby scoffed. "I went to Beach City, I saw the school like all the other operatives you sent. It's a backwater town with barely enough funding to afford textbooks let alone teachers who give a clod about their students. He won't have learned that delicate little bit of our history extensively."

"It isn't the education that most concerns me!" Rose hissed, flinching when the faucet of the sink began to run. "It's the hatred, Ruby. Hatred doesn't need an education, it starts at home and slowly seeps into even the best of us! That little boy, my…my little boy, h-he may know hatred and he may hate me and all that I am."

"He hugged you and he kissed your cheek too!" Ruby whispered, listening to the little pitter patter of tiny hands splashing water. "Kids don't do that when they hate you!"

"Rainbow did. She did it for years, Ruby! I thought she was my little angel, but no. Behind every smile and every kiss, there was a malicious intent." Rose growled quietly, her eye black eyes taking a terrifying quality, one that made Ruby drop from the bed immediately. Ruby backed up slowly, watching as suddenly fresh tendrils of thick green vines began to protrude through the open windows, peeking through the panes.

Ruby knew those vines, having seen them sprout fresh from the earth and wreak a special type of havoc brought on only by Rose's ever so rare rage. These vines were famous in history books – there wasn't a gem who went to the academy who didn't know the power behind these plants. One shot and you'd wish Rose had had the grace to shatter you.

"Steven isn't Rainbow Quartz, they're two very different beings!" Ruby said strongly, straining to keep her voice low. "Rainbow and Chalcedony are wicked because White Diamond trained them to be. Gregory Universe is a kind man, who likes to pet fluffy, red cats and who raised a very, good boy. A good boy, who seems to want to very much be friends with you and seems way too scared to be doing this for some ulterior motive."

Rose clenched her fists hard and the vines; the dark green vines that have slowly been growing thicker and longer and adorning violet tipped thorns that surely are fat with devastating poison; began to recede with each forced breath Rose takes. She rubs her eyes, trying to wipe the precious tears from her cheeks.

"I don't ever want to feel like that again." Rose whispered, sniffling. "He-he just has to-to not h-h-hate me. He doesn't have to l-l-l-love me, p-p-please j-just let him l-l-like me. Even i-if it's only a l-little bit."

"Oh come on. Rose please don't cry." Ruby groaned, approaching the snuffling gem. She rubbed Rose's arm before hugging her slightly. "I keep telling you, he really does already like you. You're workin' yourself up into a fit for nothing."

"But-."

"No buts ma'am." Ruby interrupted boldly. "Gemlings make us all a little crazy and it's okay to be afraid. But it's not okay to let Rainbow or Chally or our Lady in White, pervert the way you see him. He's innocent and good. You know it, I know it and so does every gem he's been in contact with. Please, promise me that you won't look at him any different! If it means you have to spoil him, then do it! But please don't think of Rainbow when you see him, because he'll notice and you'll have been the one to plant the seed of hatred - not White Diamond, not Yellow Diamond or Gregory Universe, but you."

Rose whimpered quietly, wiping her face yet again before untucking a handkerchief from her chest and blowing her nose.

"You have a _handkerchief_?" Ruby snorted, her stern air dropping immediately. "Old fashioned much."

Rose gave a watery giggle. "And you're still a goofball. Seriously Ruby, you're married with a grown gemling on your hands, and you still make fun of me for being rather antiquated."

"Just don't want the kid to end up old-fashioned." Ruby snickered.

"H-he won't." Rose said, standing from the bed with a flourish, smoothing the ruffles and wrinkles of the fabric. "I don't want him to be like me. You're right, he's not a gemling…but he's not a human either. He's something altogether new…truly an experience. I carried him not out of obligation or duty, but out of love - like you and Sapphire with Garnet."

Rose paused, taking a very deep breath and turning towards Ruby with a gentle fire lit in her gleaming eyes.

"An experience in on his own. Not a replica of my lineage but someone with the power to break free and be his own person. No duties, no obligations, no titles…just his very own Steven." Rose whispered fiercely, lifting the heavy fabric of her dress so that she can approach the bathroom door without a whisper of sound. "H-he really likes me though? You think so? Do you think he'll be mad at me?"

"Rose, I don't think the kid's got an angry bone in him." Ruby chuckled, following her master with quiet measured steps. "Whenever Garnet's ill, she likes hugs. Try one of those."

"Hugs. Hugs. Hugs." Rose chanted near silent, pressing her form against the door, steeling herself against the tiny little boy behind the door, as though he was a gem force grenade just waiting to be set off.

* * *

 **A/N:** Update tomorrow! Meant to update on Christmas, but my goodness I was exhausted.

Phena = Phenakite = White Diamond = Rose's wife

Rainbow Quartz = Rose + Phenakite gemling (not the fusion we know)

Chalcedony = Rose + Phenakite gemling

If anyone has any questions, I welcome them. PM me or leave me a review.

As always thank you for your favorites, follows, and your fantastic reviews!


	9. Chapter 9

Steven's pretty sure he didn't pass out, but he doesn't really remember how he got on the floor. The last few minutes have been a bit of a blur. His chubby cheek is pressed into to the cool tile, a welcome change from the heat that has been overwhelming his skin.

His gem is dormant once again, the ragged pulsing heat had finally died away into a familiar cool. His tummy, which had been as angry as his gem had too calmed down.

He's staring at the bath, which was truly a spectacle to behold. Three times bigger than the tiny little cramped thing tucked into his apartment. It's so white that it must've never been used before. This one had four stubby little dragon paws supporting it. He poked at them curiously, smelling the fresh-lemony polish someone must've used to clean them; the stinging scent rids the acidy flavor stuck in the back of his throat. The squat golden legs have individual scales etched beautifully into their perfectly polished skin; scales so tiny that they're smaller even than the tip of his pinky finger.

"S-Steven?" Rose timidly called, her voice suddenly near the door. He had been hearing her voice quietly as he was sick - her voice too muffled through the door to really be discerned. She sounded quieter than it had been before, smaller somehow. ""I-Is everything all right?"

"Maybe he's all frozen again?" He can hear Ruby now, her voice less muffled as she too approached the door.

"Yes…" Steven mumbled, sitting up slightly. He rubbed his sweaty temple and stripped his blazer off, untucking a rather squished Sir Bearington from one of his secret pockets. If there was anything good about his terrible new outfit, it had been that at least it had plenty of pockets. He snuggled Sir Bearington, breathing in the familiar scent of home.

"Um…we're going to come in now. Are you dressed?"

Steven can't help but giggle at that. Rose must not know how tummy aches work – did gems even get tummy aches? He got up and opened the door for them with a weak smile. He's about to inform Rose about how stomach aches typically resolve themselves fully clothed, when she's suddenly on top of him. She's warm and soft, her pink hair completely envelops him again, its sweet scent further erasing the acrid stench permeating his nostrils. She hugged him so hard he squeaked a little.

"Oh, are you okay? I'm so sorry. I was hoping you wouldn't get sick because of the rail and th-then I gave you the ice cream. I-I didn't even take into consideration how many I gave you-."

"Ma'am, you're suffocating him."

"Stars! Sorry." Rose yelped suddenly releasing from her impossibly strong grip. "I keep forgetting that you need air."

"That's okay." Steven shrugged with a huff. "My Dad gives big hugs too."

"I-Is everything alright? Do you feel better? Should I get the doctor-?"

"You hired a doctor?" Ruby asked incredulously. "A human one?"

"Yes, I actually hired an entire staff really, but that's beside the point. You have a personal doctor and nurse." Rose said, tenderly wiping away the sweat from his temple. "She's on call 24/7 and if your tummy is still hurt-."

"I feel better actually." Steven assured her, patting her cheek comfortingly. He didn't like it very much when she was worried, she had been so nice to him. He would do his best not to make her so worried anymore. "I'm just tired now."

"That's right!" Ruby muttered. "Humans need sleep everyday don't they?"

"Do gems not need to sleep every day?" Steven let Rose begin to calm his wayward curls and fix his blazer back onto him.

"Mmm…depends on the gem really. Sapphire likes to sleep every other day. Garnet sleeps like once a week. Pearls can go without sleep for weeks - months if ordered. I can go for a month, but Sapphire will drag me to bed against my will." Ruby mumbled gruffly.

"I've never stayed up past my bedtime before." Steven whispered in awe, imagining staying up past his bedtime for a whole week or even a whole month (Nanefua would definitely not like that at all). "Do you ever sleep, Rose?"

"Sometimes…" She muttered distractedly, she fiddled with her fingers nervously before asking timidly. "D-do you still want to see your room?"

"Whoa! I totally forgot. Yeah, let's do it!" Steven grabbed Ruby and Rose's hands and dragged them back into his room. He froze in his tracks, jaw nearly unhinged in awe.

Throughout most of his life, Steven had never really had much. The first few years of his life had been spent in the van. There hadn't been enough room for toys or personal belongings much less clothes or food. Then after the first bubble incident, Steven had been briefly given to Nanefua. He had stayed in Nanefua's comfy little room, sharing her bed and making toys of ordinary objects and old cloth dolls. Their new apartment was mostly barren, most of their junk still residing in the storage unit. They weren't allowed to decorate or paint the walls since they were renting it and the current plain tan paint had been his constant bored companion over the years. He hadn't really had much time to imagine what his new room would look like, but he had assumed it would be plain.

"D-d-do you l-l-like it?" Rose whispered anxiously, looking between the room and Steven's face. "Is it too much?"

"Cause we can totally order some gems to come through to change it. Wouldn't even take a whole day." Ruby yelled, taking his silence for dislike.

"This…"

"This?" Ruby and Rose ask, leaning in closer.

"THIS IS SO COOL!" Steven shouted, rushing to the bottom bunk of the bed and climbing excitedly to join the crowd of stuffed animals. "Wow! Look Sir Bearington, now we have all these new friends. Whoa, is that a cookie cat lamp? Those are like totally limited edition! And look at all those stickers, is that a dinosaur with a crown riding on a flaming unicorn?"

"You like it? Even all the pink?" Rose asked, still standing near the bathroom with Ruby.

"Of course! Pink is my most favorite color!" Steven cried happily, bouncing on the mattress slightly before climbing onto the ladder to the top bunk. He wiggled up there and snuggled into the thick comforter and squealing, "It's so soft!"

"Steven!" Ruby called, approaching him with her hands in her hips.

"Yes?"

"You would tell us if you didn't like it right, of if perhaps something was upsetting you?" She asked, looking back at a sweaty Rose who looked like she might be sick soon herself.

Steven was very glad that he was buried in his new blanket when Ruby asked that, because his face twisted into a grimace before he could help it. Amethyst's voice had suddenly snuck its way back into his ear and with a painful clench of his heart he realizes that he can't be truthful this time. Besides, he had already made Rose feel bad, it would be for the better if it was just for this one time. He would tell her the very next thing that upset him, but not about Jasper or Amethyst.

He couldn't break his promise to his new friend. And he really didn't want to get beat up by Jasper very much either. Sure he could take a punch from the average kid, but Jasper was like thirty buff kids fused into one.

"Yeah!" Steven exclaimed, forcing his voice to not squeak.

Ruby gave Rose a 'told you so' smile and Rose sighed heavily and wiped her brow, her shoulders' tension finely fading away. She glided across the floor and peeked over the lip of the second bunk with a weak smile.

"Do you really like it?" She whispered, her eyes sparkling with stars.

Steven unburied himself and crawled over to her with a giant smile. Their faces were only inches apart and he giggled as she blushed.

"Absolutely! This is the most awesomest fantastic room I've ever even been in!" Steven giggled, sliding off the edge of the bunk bed into her arms. "Is it really mine?"

"Of course." Rose chuckled, hugging him tightly and nuzzling into his hair. She took a deep breath, her face still in his hair and then mumbled to herself. "You smell different now."

Steven looked up at her with a curious face, having heard her clearly. Rose blushed a deep shade of pink, the flush traveling down the length of her neck.

"I m-m-mean to say that-that-."

"Rose…" Ruby groaned, flinging her arms into the air exasperatedly and walking towards the windows. "Who smells people?"

Steven lifted his arm and gave a whiff and grimaced. "Oh, I kinda smell all nasty. I did sweat a lot though. I probably gotta take a bath and change."

"O-oh. Well, all of your things have been put away and there are towels and soap in the bathroom." Rose murmured, still blushing heavily. "Your uniforms have been hung up as well."

"The opening ceremony…" Ruby coughed.

"Oh, yes. We have an opening ceremony this afternoon. White Diamond and I will be introducing a portion of the new student body, faculty and current students to the new school year. We all are required to attend, you just have to wear your uniform is all and it'll be done in no time." Rose explained.

"Not if Iolite has anything to say about it." Ruby snickered.

"Will I be with my class?" Steven asked, nervously fiddling with one of the frilly strap of Rose's dress.

"Well, I asked that you sit with Ruby's wife, Sapphire. Ruby will be busy at the time, otherwise I'd ask her." Rose gently patted his back, resisting the urge to bounce him in her arms. "With the faculty and staff. It's only because once the ceremony is over, the students are allowed to mingle and I don't want to lose you in the crowd is all. Is that okay, maybe you made a friend on the train you want to sit-?"

"NO! I-I didn't and I-I want to sit with Sapphire. Ruby said that she and I could be friends." Steven gasped nervously, unconsciously burrowing himself into Rose's neck. If he sat with his class, he would definitely see Jasper.

"That's fine, Sapphire is looking forward to meeting you." Rose mumbled, shooting Ruby a scrutinizing look. They shared a quick nod and Ruby headed towards the door. "Well, that won't be for a couple hours. You can take your bath, change and maybe take a little nap before the ceremony begins. Sapphire will come to pick you up. I'll have to leave you to go change into my uniform."

"Is it like my uniform?" Steven asked as Rose gently placed him on the floor.

"Something like that." Rose shrugged with a tiny pout. "I don't really like wearing it, I like my dress better."

"I think you'll look pretty in anything." Steven grinned giving her a thumbs up. Rose giggled and gave him one last hug.

"We'll see you later." Ruby waved goodbye, practically having to drag Rose away from Steven.

"Yes. Bye Steven!" Rose shouted, struggling against Ruby's brute strength to manage one more wave goodbye.

"Bye Rose!"

* * *

 **A/N:** Ugh...I'm burnt out from writing, I need a break. Update next year January 1st. Last update for the year will be Growing up With Steven soon. Thanks for your favorites, follows, and reviews. Have any questions? Feel free to PM me.


	10. Chapter 10

The bathtub is big. It's so big that Steven idly thinks that Rose would easily fit into it and still have some room to move about. Now that's he's upright and his vision is no longer swimming, its hugeness is even greater. He sidles into it fully clothed, rolling around and enjoying the blissfully cool touch.

At the apartment, the water is never hot. It runs from freezing cold to lukewarm-that-will-be-freezing-in-a-few-minutes-hurry-up! At Nanefua's house, the bath is broken. The faucets only squeak when you turn them and Nanefua has to get hot water from the kitchen sink to wash him. In the van, there are no faucets or sinks, only basins. They bathe with hoses that deliver water so cold it stings his skin. He's only ever had one bubble bath and that had been at a dinky motel his Dad had taken him to once.

So when he runs the golden faucet of the bath and hot water easily flows and quickly pools, he can't help but giggle excitedly. He grabbed one of the fluffy towels the staff has provided, some strawberry scented soap and to his grand delight he even finds a box under the sink full of toys.

Bright yellow rubber duckies that honk and wheeze, several toy boats and even a shiny submarine. He scooped them all up and threw them into the water. He swishes the water around with the soap until tiny soap bubbles have blossomed. He strips his soiled uniform and quickly jumped in.

He splashes and plays wildly, like he's never had the opportunity to do before. He probably played more than cleaned, but it didn't matter because his Dad and Nanefua had begged him to have fun.

'Don' foget to have fun, babee boy.' Nanefua had whispered, hugging him so tightly that he thought his bones would surely split. 'I tink you will haf fun. Lots ov fun, tis is posed to be ah-purtunitee of yo lifetime. Don' foget.'

'Yeah, studies are super important and stuff, but don't forget to have fun too.' His Dad had added with a doleful smile. 'I heard they have a swimming pool. And it's not like a normal one, but with slides and gravity weirdo thingies. Make sure to tell me all about it.'

Oh! Steven sat up from the water, a bubble beard slowly dissipating from his chin. He forgot, he needed to call his Dad. He had promised to call as soon as he got settled in. He had totally forgotten, with everything that had been going on.

He hurried out of the bath, slipping on his soiled bundle of clothes and quickly slid into his room. Rose hadn't been lying, every single article of clothing, every school supply and personal artifact had been put away neatly. He found his tablet tucked away in his desk and powered it on with hasty fingers. He had memorized the number all by himself, even though his Dad had assured him that it would remain in his contacts (Steven like Nanefua, was weary of gem-tech and preferred their old-fashioned human devices).

It only rang twice before his Dad picked up.

"Steven!"

"Hi Dad!"

His Dad must've just woken up. A guitar like print had been pressed against his Dad's face and he's vigorously rubbing at grit in his eyes.

"How's my little man."

"Dad, I thought you were gonna stop calling me that." Steven whined, pressing his face against the cool screen, it was almost like hugging his Dad.

"Oh right. Sorry buddy, I forgot you're a grown up now." Greg chuckled. "So how did everything go? Was it scary? Was your guide nice or mean? Cause I can call up there if she was mean!"

"Dad, she wasn't mean. Everything went pretty well, I was a little scared though of flying though."

"Ah, don't worry dude. I was scared the first time I rode on a plane, makes sense you would be scared too."

"I had two guides. One was this gem named Jade, she helped me get to the ship we rode on. She was nice. And then my second guide is really super nice and she let me have ice cream and she wanted to talk to me and she gave me all these hugs and-and-."

"Whoa slow down there." Greg laughed, grinning with relief. He had been anxious that Steven's guide might've been scary or rude. "You haven't told me her name yet?"

"Well, just don't tell anyone I told you her name because I'm really not supposed to be saying it and stuff." Steven whispered, looking this way and that as though a gem would pop out from under his bed to run and report him. "Her name is Rose, but we're supposed to call her Pink Diamond."

For a moment, Greg was absolutely silent and still, so still that Steven though the feed had frozen. He poked his dad's face a few times with a frown.

"Dad? Can you hear me? I think the-."

"Pink Diamond was your guide? _The_ Pink Diamond, one of the four leaders of the free-gem world?"

"Yep. She's really-."

"Wait, what did she do? What did she say to you?" Greg snapped, suddenly sitting up from his sleepy daze. Steven could now see that his Dad had been sitting in the van, his old blow up mattress sitting dilapidated in the corner.

"Um…what do you mean?" Steven asked quietly, worried suddenly about his Dad's change in demeanor.

"Did she…what she…must've said something to you. Why would she do that then? Come to see you at the station? S-she just said….wanted to…no she promised." Greg muttered frantically.

"Well she said because she wanted to be friends." Steven whispered. "She's really nice Dad. She decorated my room and everything. D-do you wanna see it?"

"Oh yeah, yeah show me." Greg muttered distractedly, biting on the ends of his fingernails. Steven swirled around the room, pointing to his most favorite parts, providing a constant chatter of praise on Rose's part.

"She even got me a bunch of stuffed animals, plus some toys for the bath too." Steven giggled. "Guess what Dad, she also got me a doctor. Also we can eat ice cream and pizza together when she has free time. And she has this security guard named Ruby who has a daughter who's going to be in my class too."

"So Rose has been nice to you?" Greg asked. "She hasn't told you anything. Anything that maybe made your heart hurt a little?"

"Nope." Steven said, popping the 'P'. "I think maybe I make her heart hurt a little though."

"What do you mean?" Greg asked.

"Well, I told her about home and stuff. She got sad and it made her tummy hurt." Steven mumbled guiltily. "I gave her a hug though. She likes hugs, they make her smile. I think maybe she doesn't get too many of them."

Greg sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly. "Well she might not. Being a Diamond all."

"Is being a Diamond hard?" Steven asked, sitting down on his cookie-cat rug. Rose did always seem busy, always having to go someplace or talk to someone.

"Being a Diamond is really hard. They have…responsibility and duties that mean sometimes…they're not always happy. Sometimes their responsibilities mean that she…has to leave things…things that bring her joy for the will of all gemkind" Greg muttered sadly. "Does…was-was she really happy to see you?"

"Yeah Dad! Haven't you heard me? She's really nice and she likes giving hugs. She likes to laugh and smile too." Steven exclaimed happily. "She said we could be friends and everything."

"I'm happy to hear that son." Greg sighed, still looking a little worried, but nevertheless more relaxed. "Have you made _any other_ friends, other than associates of Pink Diamond?"

"Yep, this gem named Amethyst. She's fourteen and…and…Dad can I tell you something?" Steven whispered suddenly, leaning closer to the screen. "That you can't tell anyone, even if Pink Diamond was to call you and ask, you can't tell her."

Greg sat up a bit from his slump and focused. "What's up buddy?"

"Well…when I had to go on the sonic rail to get to the school – which was really cool because we were in the clouds and then I met Amethyst there. But before we could talk, these big ol' gems came in and they totally beat her up. She said I couldn't tell anyone, especially not Rose, because administrators and stuff don't care for gems like us. She said Jasper - one of the gems who beat her up, thinks th-that people like me are bad." Steven said, fumbling as he tried to get it all out.

"What do you mean like you?" Greg said, gritting his teeth as he thought of this 'Jasper' character.

"An unclaimed half-breed." Steven whispered shamefully, lowering his head. "Is that what I really am Dad? Am I bad?"

"NO! No don't ever say that!" Greg yelled. "Those aren't nice words and they certainly don't apply to you. You're my Steven, nothing less. Do you understand?"

"Yeah." Steven mumbled, weakly chuckling. "Dad…why didn't Mom claim me, you know before she died?"

"That's…really complicated stuff, buddy. I'm sorry I don't have all the answers. Just know that she really loved you even before she met you, she wanted to give you the world." Greg assured him. "Ah, buddy I wish I could just give you a big ol' hug."

"Me too Dad. I know it hasn't been that long but I miss you sooo much." Steven nuzzled his face against the screen with a quiet whimper. "Tell Nanefua I miss her too!"

"Don't worry bud. She's waiting down at the restaurant for me now." Greg laughed, getting up and rummaging around for his discarded pants. "She's been worried. I kept telling her that there would be plenty of food, but she didn't believe me."

"Don't worry Dad, there's plenty. Rose made sure."

"Yeah, I'm sure she did. Well, I'm glad you're having a bit of fun, hopefully that Jasper character will realize bullying isn't the answer. I hope you and Amethyst can become better friends too, buddy." Greg said, a tired smile on his face.

"Me too Dad! I'm gonna learn how to make my weapon appear and maybe I'll be able to protect her." Steven laughed, spinning around on the tips of his toes happily.

"You do that buddy. And i-if Ro-I mean Pink Diamond says an-anything uh-…weird, just call me…as soon as possible." Greg grinned weakly. "Well, I gotta go. If I'm late to Nanefua's she gonna totally rip the rest of my hair out."

"Okay Dad, I promise to call you tomorrow. I'll tell you about the ceremony and Sapphire and all the cool stuff I do I promise." Steven said. "I love you."

"I love you too, Stu-ball. You can call me for anything, good or bad, this gem pad thingy isn't leaving my side!"

"BYE DAD!"

"BYE SON!" Greg yelled with a chuckle.

The screen of the tablet flickered back to the app and Steven collapsed onto the rug with a happy sigh.

Talking to his Dad had made him feel awesome. His Dad always knew how to make his heart feel better. Maybe it was a Dad thing? Steven sat up with a big smile and hurried back to the bathroom - maybe the water was still warm and he could play a little while longer?

* * *

 **A/N: UUGGH!** New Year's is brutal, I'm so tired. No updates for a while, like maybe not until after Stevenbomb for other stories. CGA update at the end of the month. I am not happy with this chapter, but I never am with rushed work.

Hope you enjoy the Stevenbomb and hope you had a good first day of 2016!


	11. Chapter 11

**Sapphire POV**

* * *

 _He'll be pacing. Pacing around the perimeter of the rug. Left to right, up and down, over and over and over again; until his tiny feet might be permanently etched into the fabric. He'll be dressed, still smelling of the strawberry scented bath he's only just gotten out of ten minutes ago. He'll be nervous about her, but she'll win him over. There are multiple pathways, several strategies she can employ. She personally is most partial to showing him a hint of her elemental gifts, she likes the glittering passion burning in his big eyes. He'll even hold her hand with a little encouragement._

Sapphire came out of the vision slowly, the dying remnants of Steven's worried face still fading into the shadows of something that hadn't yet come to pass. In the next moment, she's secured back in the present, letting the constant stream of visions settle into the back of her mind. If anything she's been assigned to watch disrupts, she'll still be able to contact Rose, but right now she's needs to focus on getting ready.

She had thankfully had the mind to set out her beauty products and such before she had let herself sink into the visions. Ruby had left while she had been _seeing_ , probably to go bother Garnet.

Ruby was still struggling with the fact that their little gemling was no longer so little and no longer that interested in having her parents constantly by her side. Since Ruby wasn't that good at communicating her frustration about this in words, the past year or so have been filled with seared carpets, melted door frames, holes in walls and at least six doors flung off their hinges. And of course, Garnet, growing into a new giant body with powers beyond compare is responsible for half of the damages too. Garnet might've inherited Sapphire's calm nature, able to exude an air of composed placidity, but she also had inherited Ruby's very quick and very short temper.

As Sapphire finished combing her long hair, she heard Garnet and Ruby's voices beginning to rise in volume from across the hallway; arguing about something…again. They're going to get another noise complaint (even though each apartment is _supposed_ to be soundproof). She would call them to her, but by the sound of the stomping they're already making their way to the bedroom.

And by the sound of unintelligible shouts, Ruby doesn't agree with Garnet's particular stylized uniform.

"Why does your chest need to be out?" Ruby growled, stomping after Garnet who had burst into the master bedroom with a growl of her own. They're both finally dressed, something Sapphire had been urging for several hours now – which is a relief. They're fighting again (which isn't very surprising) but knowing her girls, they might as well just not have been dressed, because these arguments tend to last a very long time. If Sapphire wasn't an impressively skilled diplomat, these arguments might've lasted only _that_ much longer.

"Amma tell her that I can wear my uniform anyway I like!" Garnet snapped. Garnet sat down on their bed with a huff. Sapphire was glad that they ( _they_ really being she because Ruby was doing everything in her power to _not_ notice their gemlings impressive growth) had invested in that reinforced titanium frame – since Garnet had grown another foot over the past few months she had been breaking every piece of furniture they owned. And since Garnet, when she was upset tended to forget just how strong she was, meant that nearly every piece of broken had to now be reinforced with titanium, made fire-proof, and couldn't conduct electricity.

"Sapphire, tell her to listen to me!" Ruby snarled. "Look at her top! Tell me that isn't inappropriate."

Sapphire resisted the urge to sigh, because she knows neither of them can really help being so quick tempered. At least Ruby isn't burning the carpet or Garnet killing every electrical device in the apartment… _again_. Sapphire parted the curtain of her hair and viewed the 'inappropriate top' in question.

From what Sapphire can tell there isn't anything particularly wrong with Garnet's top. Sure she can see the top of the curves of Garnet's chest, supple shadows that are still modestly covered though. The Crystal Gem Academy uniform is designed to be strictly modest, covering up the uniquely human 'aesthetic' that nearly every gem born on Earth had been exposed to.

"Garnet, one more button please. Ruby, Garnet is no longer a little gemling. I thought we agreed on compromise, please?"

"I don't get why her chest needs to be out!" Ruby grumbled, stomping past Garnet who began begrudgingly buttoning one more button to her crisp uniform top. "She's a gemling! What does she need her chest out for?"

"I remember you particularly liking it when I wore my shirt as such, sometimes even lower." Sapphire said, returning back to the mirror and applying a shiny gloss to her lips.

"Eww, that's nasty Ma." Garnet teased, slipping past Ruby to crouch next to Sapphire. Nothing in their master bedroom had been designed with their six and a half foot daughter in mind. They had thought that despite Garnet's strange gemetics that she would be their height, maybe a few inches taller, but certainly not several feet taller.

Even Garnet on her haunches, she's as tall as the mirror Sapphire's sitting in front of. Garnet nuzzled their faces together, pouting adorably. "I want some gloss too."

"You don't need to wear makeup!" Ruby growled, stopping Sapphire's hand before she could hand Garnet the lip gloss.

"She's six-."

"I'm sixteen! I can wear makeup now. Amma said so." Garnet grunted.

"Sapphire I thought we said she couldn't wear makeup."

"I think you mean, _you_ said she couldn't wear makeup and I showed you a picture of us from our Teritiary year and then you didn't talk to me for three days." Sapphire mumbled, pulling out another small tube of gloss from a drawer and handing that to Garnet instead. Garnet jumped up before Ruby could snatch that away and ran out of their room with a giant grin.

"UGH! Sapph!" Ruby moaned, leaning her entire body onto Sapphire's. "She's just a gemling!"

"She was a gemling more than a decade ago. She's practically a fully matured gem now. Besides, compared to the other students, she dresses rather modestly." Sapphire shrugged, pushing Ruby gently off to resume her prepping. Ruby dramatically flopped onto the floor and Sapphire did her best not to smile.

"Pearl dresses modestly." Ruby pouted, content to lay on the floor and scowl. "Phena dresses modestly. Rosaline dresses modestly."

Sapphire rolled her eye and chose to ignore the angry rant of modestly dressed gems that began near her little feet. Instead she began to braid her long hair and sneak peeks back at Steven.

It had been such a long time since Rose had asked her to watch him so closely – he had changed so much. No longer waddling in diapers, or toddling in training pants, or stumbling around clumsily. He had all his teeth, he was nearly her height and those chubby cheeks were thankfully still there (she knew she would be helpless against their cuteness). She would finally get to meet the little boy she had been assigned to watch since the day Rose had been forced to leave him.

"Sapphy, are you even listening to me?"

"Not at the moment, Ruby." Sapphire said softly, turning from the mirror she was currently sat in front of to receive a burning kiss. "Are you done pouting?"

"For now." Ruby huffed, a puff of steam bursting from her puffed up cheeks. "That gemling is going to be the end of me. It feels like yesterday her favorite fashion statement was wearing her diaper on her head, now she wants to wear… _makeup_."

"You say it like it's a dirty word." Sapphire chuckled. "Have I mentioned that I like your uniform?"

"You like _all_ my uniforms." Ruby chuckled, wrapping her arms around Sapphire's tiny waist and kissing the back of her newly exposed neck.

"I like this one especially though." Sapphire muttered, turning around slightly to mess with the many gold pendants adorning Ruby's jacket. "This one covers your arms."

"You don't like my arms?" Ruby teased playfully, already knowing the answer.

"I like your arms very much. And nobody else should." Sapphire growled with a teasing grin. Ruby's uniform was tightly restrictive, there was only a small patch of skin available to touch. It was a small, red triangle at the top of the tight collar around Ruby's neck. Just big enough to slip her tongue along the strong dip in Ruby's clavicle, earning a wonderfully breathy groan.

"MA! AMMA! I'm off!" Garnet yelled, stomping back into their room, her visor on and her lips glossed. Ruby flinched and jumped away, trickles of steam sifting from under her starched collar, crystals of ice melting down her chest. Sapphire only grinned, licking condensation from her lips.

"Garnet! We talked about just bursting into our room." Ruby seethed, desperately trying to cool herself down. Garnet looked between them and with a grin nearly identical to Sapphire's gave a knowing thumbs-up. Sapphire returned it, ignoring Ruby's angry mewls.

"You should be thanking me Ma. You would've been late." Garnet grinned, adjusting her visor. "Besides, Pearl is going to walk with me there. She'll be here in fifteen seconds. Wouldn't want your 'modest little gem' to walk in on whatever you two were about to do."

Sapphire couldn't contain the muffled snorts that started up as Ruby began to yell unintelligibly. Thankfully before Ruby could set the carpet aflame, a gentle knock sounded at the front door. Garnet was at the door in a flash. Sapphire heard Pearl's tinkling greeting and her soft footsteps as she looked for them.

Pearl having been raised in an aristocratic household and with noble company was polite beyond compare. Even as a gemling, she had been quite respectful. So when Pearl finally spotted them with a little help from Garnet and bowed, her head nearly touching her knees, neither of them said anything. Asking Pearl to _not_ bow, was simply not an option.

The one time they _had_ asked, thinking perhaps she was only doing it out of forced formality, she had cried nearly her entire visit and didn't stop crying until Garnet had started singing Rose's lullaby. It had taken an hour of Sapphire and Ruby insisting that they really, truly didn't mind her bowing before she began to smile again.

"What's up, Pearl?" Ruby asked. Pearl looked up briefly before catching her mistake and smiled.

"Nothing much." Pearl shrugged.

"Are you excited for the new academic year?" Sapphire asked.

"Uh…I don't…um." Pearl stuttered, a nervous flutter beginning in her hands before she tightly clasped her hands together.

"It's okay if you don't know. I don't know either." Garnet shrugged, nudging Pearl lightly with her shoulder. "It'll be cool though since we'll finally be in the same class together."

"Oh, yes! That will be delightful. I-I've never been a class without any other pearls though." Pearl grasped Garnet's arm to steady herself. "Bu-but it will be fine though, right? We'll be together so everything w-will be fine!"

Sapphire nodded, her lips twitching with a suppressed smile. They would be certainly be more than alright this year.

"You don't want to go with me? You used to love walking with mama." Ruby chuckled at the glare she knew she was receiving behind the visor.

"Ma, I want to go sit with Pearl." Garnet groaned, crossing her long arms, accidently bringing Pearl to her chest.

"You never want to do anything with Mama anymore." Ruby moaned dramatically. "I can remember when you couldn't even go to the waste-room without me. You'd go on the floor if I didn't go with you."

Garnet blushed, jaw dropped. "Ma! Stop embarrassing me in front of Pearl!"

"I'll…um…go wait at the front door." Pearl stammered. She had been witness to many of the fights between Garnet and Ruby. They usually always ended in fire and Sapphire's brief and rare anger.

"You do that." Garnet huffed. Pearl quickly separated herself from Garnet and with a nervous smile, waved goodbye. When the sound of the door closing softly sounded, Ruby and Sapphire began to giggle.

"Ooh, did you hear that Sapphy. Wants to go sit with Pearl." Ruby sang quietly, hopping onto the table of the mirror.

"Remember to send us the wedding invitations, won't you dear?" Sapphire grinned playfully. Neither she nor Ruby could hold back their snickers when Garnet's cheeks darkened until they were the color of plums.

"We're not like that!" Garnet growled darkly, electricity practically jumping off her skin as she clenched her fists. "I'm off. Don't go making any siblings while I'm gone!"

"Why you little-." Ruby made to jump off the mirror's table, but Garnet was already gone, slamming the door so hard, the force reverberated through the apartment. "THAT DOOR BETTER NOT BE BROKEN!"

"Definitely your daughter." Sapphire mumbled, nearly satisfied with her preening. Ruby rolled her eyes, grumbling under her breath. She nudged up against Sapphire's shoulder with a huff.

"I was asking earlier, before we were so rudely interrupted and you so rudely ignored me, if you really minded going to pick up Steven?" Ruby asked.

"I don't mind." Sapphire shrugged. "He really seems like a nice boy."

"He is. Cute too." Ruby sighed. "He's just a bit nervous is all really. Like Garnet was when she was his age, and like Pearl too when he works himself up. Rose thinks she made him sick, but I'm pretty sure it was just a combo of too much food and the rail. She's really overthinking it."

"Last week you were worried Garnet didn't love you anymore when she forgot to kiss you good morning."

"WELL it could've totally been that!"

Sapphire merely rolled her eye and arranged her bangs to perfection. She knew Steven would come to not really mind that she was without a second eye, but it would make him uncomfortable now. She straightened the crisp sleeves of her button down shirt and her bow tie.

"Why did you put your hair up again?" Ruby asked, watching as Sapphire stood and straightened the black length of her teacher's dress. All the teachers were required to wear their uniform during the opening ceremony - she personally couldn't wait until she could return to the comfortable confines of her blue dress.

"Let's just say that Our Lady in White, will be feeling especially envious tonight." Sapphire mumbled, slipping her gloves on. "I'd prefer to stay on her good side this school year."

"Phena is aware of our marriage though." Ruby said, crossing her buff arms with a frown. "She came to our wedding. She heard us state our vows."

"She has taken Rose's distance and general good behavior as a sign of infidelity, if that makes any sense. She'll be looking at any and all gems she think's Rose would be attracted and then some."

"But Rose promised to be faithful…at least until their gemlings graduate the academy." Ruby said. "She hasn't so much as touched or looked at any gem in that way since Rainbow and Chalcedony were hatched."

"What ever little attention Rose had been dedicating to White Diamond, has now been completely given to Steven." Sapphire sighed. "Phenakite has taken this as a sign that Rose has broken that vow."

"And it isn't like Rose will be forthcoming that she not only has _another_ offspring outside their disjointed union, but that she carried instead of siring." Ruby groaned. "Man, they're bad for each other."

"It wasn't always like this." Sapphire muttered, her lips downturned. "They used to really love one another. Then the Rebellion, the War, and the Splitting of the Four occurred and somewhere along the way…something between them fell apart."

"That won't happen to us though right?" Ruby murmured, brushing her lips against the nape of Sapphire's neck.

"Neither of us have a pension for compulsive lying or teaching Garnet to hate the other, so no. We thankfully we will not be like that." Sapphire whispered, turning round to kiss Ruby's firm lips. Ruby did not part though, instead leaning into nibble Sapphire's bottom lip. " _Ruby_ , I have to go pick up Steven."

"Well…Garnet is gone – we won't be barged in on." Ruby mumbled, letting her burning fingers trail Sapphire's strong jaw. "Have I mentioned that I always wanted another gemling?"

"Yes, this morning when you told Garnet to stop sleeping on the floor. I can tell you with certainty, this little excursion will not result in my being with gemling." Sapphire giggled, calmly keeping her growing desires in check.

"Well, that isn't the only reason I married you - to get you heavy with geodes." Ruby growled, nipping here and there along Sapphire's long neck. "There are things we can do…outside of geode making."

"Ruby, I just got dressed and did my hair. I am going to go pick up Steven and you'll go check up on Rose." Sapphire said sternly.

Ruby pouted but receded her attack of burning kisses and slowly made her way to the door. She sat there with her head bowed and didn't even move when Sapphire glided over.

"But when we get back…"

"When we get back?" Ruby perked up slightly, allowing Sapphire's thin arm to loop itself around hers.

"Garnet will want to stay in her new dorm assignment tonight." Sapphire sighed, opening the door slightly and looking back with a fiery glance. "And so when we get back here I expect your worse, Officer."

Ruby sucked in an empty breath and gave a quiet fist bump to the sky. "Thank the Diamonds!"

With a rough yank from her dainty wife, Ruby was dragged from the apartment, grinning so hard she thought her cheeks might burst into flames.

* * *

 **A/N:** I really had too much fun writing this. Garnet calls Sapphire, Amma (another way to say mother) and Ruby, Mama. I really just want to write more of them being a family, they're so darn cute. Nuzzle cheeks! Nuzzle them! Unexpectedly giant daughters are adorable. How come every time I write Ruby and Sapphire, they end up doing naughty things together?...I'm oddly not that ashamed. Questions?/Reviews?/Concerns? PM me or leave a review. Update in February, most likely at the end of the month. Thank you for your patience, your reviews, favorites, follows and awesomeness!

 **A/N:** Updates for Growing Up With Steven hopefully soon, working on a few stories now. The World Left Behind, working on the next chapter.

This is all going on during bath time and dad time for Steven.


	12. Chapter 12

Steven's stubby fingers trembled as he tried once again to tie his shoes. This was his third try, the first and second tries had been thwarted by his nervousness and the bows had been sloppy and misshapen. And they couldn't be anything _but_ perfect.

Because in just a few minutes he was about to meet more gems – not just more but so many that it might be more than the population of his humble town and then some. The anxious stutter of his heart that had seized him earlier throughout this incredibly long day had returned again with a vengeance.

Not even five minutes after ending the call with his dad, the heavy perfume of strawberries soaking into his skin as he sunk into his second bath, had it set in. The fun drained straight from the mountain of bubbles he had created and he had leapt from the tub in a frenzy. He picked the most perfectly ironed shirt, blazer and pants in his closet, not a single thread out of place.

He had meticulously dragged a comb through his thick curls, losing a few teeth of the bright orange plastic in the process. No matter how hard he tried to tame it, it refused to lie down on his scalp. Even after getting dressed, applying some grown-up cologne (a going-away gift from Mr. Smiley) and giving Sir Bearington a good squeeze; he still messed with his stubborn curls agitatedly.

Finally his fingers obeyed him, tightening the shiniest pair of his new fancy shoes to his feet. No sooner had the task been done, he set to pacing his Cookie-Cat rug.

Left, right, up and down, over and over and over again. He tried to calm down, but no matter how many deep breaths he took, his heart wouldn't slow.

"Sir Bearington! Do I look alright?" Steven asked, standing in front of tall mirror set in a corner near the bathroom. He turned this way and that, fretting with his hair and blazer.

Sir Bearington seemed to think so.

"But I don't…I don't look like them though. I mean…" Steven frowned at his reflection. "I'm not perfect."

Sir Bearington agreed with this.

"You don't think they'll make fun of me right? Cause of my…'humaness'?" Steven mumbled. "What are we gonna do, Sir Bearington, what if no one wants to be my friend cause I can't get everything perfect!"

Sir Bearington frowned thoughtfully.

"W-what if Rose doesn't want to play with me anymore once she sees all the gems not wanting to be friends with me! Wh-what if Jasper beats me up and Rose thinks I'm weak. What if I get _expelled_ because they find out that I'm not strong or smart or perfect like they thoooouuuggght!" Steven cried, collapsing onto his bed and into the open arms of Sir Bearington with a sniffle.

Sir Bearington told him not to worry so much.

"You're right, Sir Bearington, maybe I _am_ worrying too much." Steven snuffled. "Dad said not to worry. Nanefua did too and so did Rose!"

But their assurance wasn't enough. He knew that all gems wouldn't be like Jasper or her friends, and that plenty of gems would be nice like Ruby, Rose and Amethyst but…he had thought the same about his first day at Beach City's elementary school. That surely the class and the teachers couldn't _all_ be mean and how wrong he had been.

"Do you think that Sapphire will be nice?" Steven asked Sir Bearington.

Sir Bearington seemed poised to answer when a dainty knock interrupted them. Steven jumped, hastily straightening himself up before cautiously approaching the door, only opening it a sliver just in case it was like an attack or something (You could never be too careful, Steven thought).

He was met with a shiny curtain of blue hair and a low, smooth voice.

"Hello, Steven."

"H-Hello."

Steven hadn't been too sure of what he expected Sapphire to look like, but he really hadn't expected her to be so elegant. She was only a little taller than him and Ruby, but an air of authority surrounded her that rivaled Rose's. Her bangs were long, covering up her eyes, but framing her strong jaw and her plump lips.

"May I come in?" She asked, her voice soothing the blaze of his nervousness like a quick dip in the ocean after a sweltering summer day. "Only briefly of course, we need to go soon if we plan on being on time."

"Um…yeah sure." Steven mumbled, stepping aside and watching in awe as she seemed to glide across the floor with perfect grace.

"Do you like everything so far?" Sapphire asked, heading towards the open curtains and closing each with a gentle flick of her wrists, tiny crystals of ice glistening on the edge of the material as they blew shut.

"Yeah." Steven's jaw dropped and he copied her gentle movements, trying to see if maybe he had any cool powers too.

"I'm afraid Steven," Sapphire giggled, her laugh making the curly tendrils of hair on the back of his neck shiver. "That you won't be able to do such a thing, but perhaps other powers may be in store of your future."

"Wha-whoa, really. What type of powers? Like cool ones? Like can I shoot laser beams from my eyes or maybe can I fly? I've always wanted to fly you know." Steven exclaimed, hopping up next to Sapphire's side, all nervousness abandoned with the prospect of super-awesome-cool powers.

"The lasers are unlikely, nearly impossible." Sapphire turned toward him, her hidden gaze heavy on his face. "Flying…well it all depends on what you mean by 'flying'. I was thinking more along the lines…of something…to do with…"

"To do with what?!" Steven squealed, hands clapped against his cheeks. "You gotta tell me!"

"Perhaps another time." Sapphire giggled. "I'm afraid the future often takes a long time to untangle, especially with someone with a fate as full as yours."

Steven really didn't understand what that meant, but before he could ask, her gem-embedded hand pressed against him. He swore he could feel it through his many layers.

"We need to go now if we're to be on time." Sapphire said, her voice low and sure. "Take my arm, please."

Steven clumsily positioned his arm with a little bit of Sapphire's help and they looped their arms together.

"Whoa, we look like the Madam President and the First Lady." Steven gasped. "We're so fancy."

"We do, don't we. Gems of my age and older, like to be linked in arms like this. It's considered a tad antiquated, but if you showed this to Rose, she would be very impressed with you."

"You think so?" Steven hopped alongside Sapphire as they approached the door, Sapphire anchoring him from practically vibrating through the wall.

"I know so."

…

The school seems to be even bigger on the inside than it looks outside. The grand, immaculate hallways rise several dozen feet above their heads, balconies layered on balconies that remind him of a tiered cake. The floors aren't wood or stone, but a shimmering, opaque crystal. Everything here seems to be made of crystal, it's as if the builder had something against organic material.

As they walk, Steven's footsteps echo through the massive space and the sharp click bounces off every wall before disappearing high into ceiling. He peaks into the classrooms, gasping at their ridiculous size. They're nothing like the classroom at his elementary school back home – it's like walking into one of the rooms at the movie theater times three or a mini-stadium. There are no cool posters with motivating education puns, or pretty neon colors from the seventies or anything school-like at all – if anything it looks more like the pictures of Dad's old community college.

It looks even more humongous when completely devoid of any gems. The emptiness had been exciting, running around without getting scolded was fun, but now the pressing silence made him uncomfortable.

"Um, where is everybody?" Steven asked, running back to Sapphire's side and swinging their connected hands.

"They'll be lining up." Sapphire pointed down the long, grand hallway. "We'll pass by them soon enough."

"P-pass them? Like see us? Th-They'll see us?" Steven stuttered, slowing down. He had known it had to happen eventually, but he wasn't ready yet! What if Jasper was there? Sapphire wasn't very big and even if she was a teacher, what if Jasper didn't listen? She probably wouldn't even care about his grown-up cologne or all the effort put into his hair.

"We'll be walking above them, don't worry, the ivy hangs like a curtain across most of the balcony so they won't be able to see us." Sapphire assured him. "You're worried about meeting them."

Steven didn't notice that it hadn't been a question. "Uh…yeah k-kinda I guessed."

"Why? Has anybody been less than amicable?"

"What does 'amicable' mean?"

"Kind. Has anybody been less than kind to you?" Sapphire asked knowingly.

"Well…you see – it not cause of-of anything-that hap-happened on the r-r-rail or ha…ha cause you know, OH hey look the courtyard!" Steven skipped ahead, climbing onto rail and poking at the thick curtain of green.

Sapphire said nothing, only following behind him with a slight frown that she tucked away when he turned around to grin nervously at her. She copied his posture and leaned over the rail of the balcony. She gently parted the curtain of reeds.

Already the court yard was filled to the brim with students. Gems of every shape, size and color were scattered about, happily talking. From way up here they didn't seem that scary, they kind of look just like normal people.

Some were roughhousing, others laughing at jokes he could barely hear, and most of them were just talking. It was a different picture from the pamphlet he and Dad had received. The gems weren't lined up according to gem type or color, their backs weren't straighter than rulers and the blank look in their eyes wasn't there. Instead they intermingled freely, a rainbow of colors.

"Oh, look there's Garnet." Sapphire oohed, pointing enthusiastically. Steven searched the crowd and gasped when he finally spotted her.

Garnet looked just like Ruby had said. Tall, buff, and looking incredibly intimidating (almost as much as Jasper). She looked kinda like Ruby, they both had giant poufy afros and arms that looked like they could easily crush anything in their paths. She covered her eyes like Sapphire did but not with her hair, but with a super cool visor. He was too far away to see much else. She stood aloof against a pillar, exuding a serious, intimidating air. A halo of space was given to her, no gem broke it and those who happened to be moving near her, skirted around it with utmost care.

The only gem allowed in her circle was a singular pearl, who leaned on her arm. "And that's Pearl, they've known each other since they were little gemlings."

"S-she looks nice." Steven muttered. Garnet shifted her arms slightly, flexing impressively (he really did not want to be on her bad side). Pearl looks like every other pearl he's seen, same face and body structure, but there's something different about her. He can't exactly place it, it's not that she's the only pearl separated from the group of pearls or that she's the only pearl with a radically different haircut or that she's standing erect with her shoulders strong and not hiding in a corner. He can't quite name it, but whatever it is, it radiates off her and she's doing nothing to suppress it.

"Garnet can be nice, once she gets to know you. Pearl is quiet, but she's very bright. Once they get to know you, they'll talk your ear off" Sapphire shrugged with a fond smile. "There are a few my students down there. Are you familiar with the names of different types of gems?"

"Uhm…"

"That's a no. That's fine. It takes everyone a little to get all the names down." Sapphire pats his head gently, not mussing up his curls like Ruby did. "You already know what rubies and sapphires look like."

"And pearls!" Steven pointed to the large congregation of Pearl's on the opposite side of the courtyard. They're like a flock of birds, tittering and constantly shuffling, they're bright eyes glaring at the loud quartz gems near them. "And…and… uh…a-amethysts."

He didn't spot any amethysts or his Amethyst, in truth he had spotted Jasper. She towered over the majority of the gems there, even Garnet. She's with the same gems she had been with back in the train and then some. She's surrounded by a halo of beefy and beautiful gems, all who seem to be fighting for her attention. She eats up their attention like it's going out of style.

Even from here he can hear her strong voice, she's boasting about something while flexing her arms. Her eyes pass over the area they're in and Steven flinched back. Even from here, her golden eyes seared.

"Can we go now?" Steven flinched back from the opening, his hands clenched in his blazer. Sapphire let the reeds fall back into the seamless curtain, but not before scanning the crowd. She pursed her lips as she and Jasper briefly make eye contact. Sapphire barely parts her bang, letting the icy blue of her eye catch the light before Jasper snaps away with a wince.

"Absolutely. You'll like where we'll be seated." Sapphire covers her gaze with her bangs, making a mental note to speak with Rose.

…

Hundreds of thousands of pinprick lights strung high across the wide expanse of the enclosed sky glowed a gentle gold. Lights hung in the high tips of the blackened trees, from the shining gutters of the roof and from mounted poles that proudly waved the national Gem flag. The dark blue sky behind the canvas of gold was filled to the brim with a map of stars that didn't look like they belonged to Earth.

There's a large stage, whiter than snow and paired with pink and cream accents of thick bushels of roses. There were two grand chairs, one that looked as though it belonged in a museum and the other Steven could tell is definitely Rose's. It's fantastically pink, covered in frills and decorated finishes intertwined with budding green vines and rose petals.

The lawn that the stage sits on is green and wide, covered with thousands and thousands of chairs. Already a great deal of them are filled with students, Steven had lost Garnet and Pearl at some point, and he doubted he would seem them again tonight.

He and Sapphire are looking down from a balcony far above the stage – the teacher's gallery. He presses himself further against the strange crystal railing encasing the entire expansive courtyard. When Sapphire joins his side, the railing pulses momentarily a bright blue before fading away. Sapphire had informed him during their brief warp to the upper decks that it was considered an honor to be sat here.

'Much better than the ordinary seats.' Sapphire had said. 'Headgem Iolite typically makes her speeches longer than anyone has patience for. You'll be thankful once she gets her second wind.'

They had been the first of the faculty to arrive and had gotten (in Steven's opinion) the best seats. In the front of the balcony, parallel with Rose's chair and with fluffy seat cushions that smelled like candy.

"This courtyard, it's called Hope's Way. It's named after the Hope Diamond the humans found on this planet. The student body dubbed it Hway. When it isn't in use for ceremonial events, it's used for common grounds for the student body." Sapphire informed him, their faces nearly touching as she leaned into whisper. Her breath isn't warm like Rose's, or hot like Ruby's, but instead pleasantly cool. "Apparently, if you come here and meditate under the stars, the Hope Diamond will grant you luck on your next test."

"Whooooa, does that really work?" Steven asked, leaning into her as a gem passed by them. Maybe his grades wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Ruby swears by it, but I didn't really need to study for tests." Sapphire grinned, looking devious. Steven was about to ask what she meant by that, when suddenly the lights in the courtyard dimmed and focused on the main stage. The general movement and chatter ceased. Sapphire tugged him off the rail, bringing them to stand in line with the now standing faculty.

"Our Ladies…" Sapphire whispered. "Place your hand on your gem, like this."

Sapphire lifted her right hand, lifting her gloved palm to the sky to reveal her gem. She pressed the tiny fingers of her left hand onto her gem and Steven gasped as it flickered alive with a soft glow.

"D-do-?"

"You don't have to lift your shirt. Just under your blazer will do just fine."

Steven did as he was told, palming his cold gem and watching as the thousands of gems did the same. A gentle glow began to rise from the crowd below and Steven looked down to see if his gem was doing the same. A weak light, barely strong enough to reach his own eyes struggled to stay alive, flickering wildly as though it was a candle in a windstorm. A gentle glow began to rise from the crowd below and Steven watched with a shiver as White Diamond and Rose walked onto the stage.

White Diamond was tall, even taller than Rose. She was lean around her middle, her strong thighs silhouetted through the sheer sheen of her skirt. Her hair was whiter than snow and fashioned in a sophisticated hairdo that looked much too complicated to have been done with human aesthetics in mind. Dozens of glass roses, paler than pink are enlaced in her perfectly coiffed points like a crown. She's wearing a uniform similar to the ones Steven's seen other rubies and security gems wearing. It's heavy and grey, lightly adorned with golden and bronze metals that tinkle in the breathless silence. Her gem is squarely centered onto her forehead, gleaming with a celestial light that seems to illuminate the sharp, strong angles of her face. The ethereal, otherworldly beauty that Rose had encompassed seemed to be a shared trait among the diamonds.

Despite her breathtaking beauty, her presence washes over him like a bucket of ice water down his back. He has to resist the urge to shiver, but he doesn't resist the urge to sidle up closer to Sapphire.

Her eyes are a striking sterling and when Steven feels them pass over their section of the balcony, an outrageous desire to run and hide fills every muscle in his body. The warmth in Rose's eyes isn't there at all, only a sharp aptitude that glitters unashamedly.

Then thankfully, Rose steps forward and the frigid tension in the air is shed. The warm glow of the lights overhead shiver and then glow the loveliest shade of pink and the bushels of roses at the stage blossom and open their petals wide. The tension beneath them, strict on the students and staff shoulders releases and the silence of empty lungs is broken with a quiet collective sigh.

The fluffy dress Rose had been wearing throughout the day has been replaced with a heavy looking navy uniform jacket. Nearly every inch of the front is decorated in gold, silver, bronze and even crystal badges and ribbons from every color of the rainbow waved in the still night air. Her legs were still swathed in a long skirt, her feet hidden from the crowd, but this skirt was not ruffled or soft looking but instead pleated and stiff.

As soon as Rose stops walking, her arm slipping through White Diamond's, what must be the head of staff walks out. Nine gems all dressed in plain uniforms like Sapphire's join them on stage. As soon as they're all lined up and still, Rose and White Diamond take a seat and everyone is allowed to sit.

An indigo gem, whose hair is short and severe steps forward to a podium that a harried looking pearl sets out.

"May I welcome you all to the Crystal Gem Academy." The gem's voice is stern – sharper than the pointed collar of her uniform or her pointy shoulders. Sapphire leans into him and whispers: 'Iolite, Headgem of Crystal Gem Academy.'

Iolite's speech, which was chock full of boring rules and instructions about how 'shenanigans and pranks and so forth were not tolerable nor expected to go on', was surprisingly short and to the point. When she finished, reluctant applause feebly rises from her weary audience – not that she seemed to mind, she walked off with a happy strut. She stepped away with a striking bow and White Diamond and Rose glided forward.

The weak applause suddenly increases exponentially until it was a roar that seemed to shake the sky of lights above them. Steven was mostly clapping for Rose, resisting the urge to wave at her (mostly not to distract her, but also because White Diamond would probably see too and that would be scary).

White Diamond lifted a hand and the roar ceased immediately, a pulse of something unspeakably cold runs through his gem. White Diamond sighs heavily and with a burning gaze, spoke with a soft, rich voice that caressed his ears.

"As most of you should know, my name is White Diamond. First Leader of the free gem world. It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the creation of my partner and I's greatest dreams." Her bright eyes scanned the crowd, there isn't a gem in the room not hooked on her every word. "This is the place we dreamed of during the war and we are glad to see each and every one of you here today. This is an institution open to great minds, great ideas and the greatest gems that our new home has the privilege to see."

With the knowledge you gain here, we hope that you can make your wildest dreams also come true. We're looking forward to meeting our new recruits and saddened to see our denary students leaving to join the many worlds of our empire. May the stars of our ancestors guide us in your efforts to explore the many worlds of our universe."

Rose nodded calmly as an excited applause was happily given while White Diamond bowed slightly. White Diamond stepped back, letting Rose stand at the podium.

"I think I'm a little too notorious for my antics around campus, so I don't think I need much of an introduction. As my beautiful partner said, this opportunity to speak with you all this evening is a wonderful experience for us both. It is our greatest joy to see each and every one of your faces – even if this might be the hundredth year we've gazed upon them, I'm certainly not talking about you Almandine." Rose grinned as a quiet chuckle rose up from the crowd. An Almandine sat near the front rose for a brief cheer before Iolite glared her back down into her seat.

"Yes, sorry Iolite, I'll do my best not incite anything too extreme." Rose giggled. "Crystal Gem Academy is the culmination of millennia of our dreams. You have all been selected to attend not only because of your families well-lined pocket books-." Snickers rise from the crowd, apparently too gleeful for Iolite's liking ('Iolite I'm sorry! Really I'll try to stop.) "But because of your academic excellence and potential. You've all worked incredibly hard to earn your spaces here and we couldn't be more proud of you. This is more though than an academic institution but a place where I hope you're able to find happiness, joy and long friendships and ties that will stay strong with you until the end of your days."

The applause starts off as a roar and only grows louder as Rose gives a flamboyant bow. It only ends when the two are seated and Iolite gives the crowd a mighty glare. Iolite begins speaking in earnest now, beginning what sounds like an even more tedious speech than the snippet she had given earlier. Steven watches as the general attention of the crowd begins to wane and even Rose seems bored.

"Psssst….Sapphire." Steven whispered, tugging slightly on Sapphire's sleeves as the crowd of teachers around him begin to chat.

"Yes, Steven?"

"Is White Diamond Rose's wife?"

"I suppose in human colloquial terms that yes, Rose's wife is indeed White Diamond." Sapphire whispered, smiling as Steven gently rubbed his chin.

"I thought they were just friends cause they built the school together." Steven mumbled. "But I guess you don't build a school together unless you love each other lots."

Sapphire giggled, petting Steven's fluffy head. "Yes, I suppose you don't."

Iolite's speech goes on and on. Sapphire entertains Steven by helping him recognize the different type of gems down in the crowd. He's memorized about fifteen when White Diamond gives a meaningful cough, and suddenly Iolite wraps it up.

"And without further ado, the welcoming ceremony has ended." Iolite said. "The Welcoming Student Extravaganza will be held in the banquet and sitting halls. We, being the janitorial staff and myself, would ask that the food being served actually be consumed if desired and not end up on the ceiling or any of the statues PLEASE!"

As soon as the 'please' leaves Iolite's indigo lips, the mess of students immediately rise and start heading off like a rampant stampede. The teachers surrounding him are much calmer, leaving quietly while talking amongst themselves. Steven sneaks up to the rail, watching as Rose gracefully stands, holding her arm out to White Diamond. They walk together, their long strides perfectly in sync as they exit. Soft, sweet smiles between them as they walk (which Steven thinks is beyond adorable).

Sapphire gently takes Steven's hand and guides him toward the exit.

"One day, I'm gonna be happy and get married just like them!" Steven announces, swinging Sapphire's arm as he hops down the stairs.

"Yes…yes you will." Sapphire grinned. "Will I be invited to the wedding?"

"Of course you will! You, Ruby, um…Garnet, my Dad, Rose, Nanefua…"

Sapphire smiles as Steven proceeds to list nearly every citizen of Beach City. She can already see it now, the soft peach sunset settled behind a grand party of humans and gems. The silky red train of her dress…her long brown hair cascading down the length of her scarred back…he'll have the biggest grin, tears in his eyes as she walks right into his arms.

Yes, they would be much happier than Rose and White Diamond. Hopefully happier, much happier than the two gems that had sauntered off into the shadows, the link in their arms wrenched apart as soon as the public eyes are off of them.

…

"There's my favorite lady." Ruby cooed, picking up Sapphire easily and kissing her squarely on her lips.

Steven and Sapphire had waited for the general crowd of chattering students to disperse before sneaking through the halls to find Ruby. They had found her walking idly, releasing her golden cuffs and belt with a happy sigh.

"Ah come on you guys!" Steven whined, shielding his eyes. "I'm not even supposed to watch kissy movies yet."

"Didn't I tell you, he's a mini-Garnet?" Ruby giggled, gently placing Sapphire back down. "No kissing I guess for the rest of the night."

Sapphire snuck one last kiss. "I suppose _maybe_ we can do that."

"Why are we standing here?" Ruby asked, settling besides Steven against the wall. They're standing in the middle of hall, not the one they had found Ruby in but one Sapphire had dragged them to about five minutes ago. "I thought you said we were gonna have some _time_ , you know to ourselves. No offense kiddo."

"No problem, when I get married I'd probably want to be alone so I could kiss all the time too." Steven nodded sincerely, earning a noogie.

"Plans change. Gems change. Dinner plans." Sapphire mumbled distractedly.

"Did you understand any of that?" Steven asked, sliding down and away from his noogie and onto his butt. He could barely make out perhaps the tiniest pair of feet he had ever seen under Sapphire's long skirt as she paced.

"Nope, but that's kinda how I feel about half of the conversations I have with her. You get used to it." Ruby shrugged, sliding down the wall as well. "Wait until she starts finishing your sentences, before you can even think to say them."

"I haven't done that in weeks." Sapphire grumbled.

"She did it last night." Ruby stage whispered, nudging Steven's ribs as gently as she could (which was kinda gentle, but not really). Sapphire gave them both an invisible glare as they struggled to stifle their snickers.

"We'll be good for her. She's been so upset lately. White Diamond always does this. Sees things that not even the sharpest eye could discern." Sapphire mumbled into her fists, pausing her pacing to turn to Steven. "Steven are you hungry?"

"I'm always hungry." Steven shouted, rubbing his belly.

"Good, stand up please."

Steven stood up with a hop, briefly getting distracted by his shiny shoes before looking up again to see Rose rocket around the corner.

She jingled when she walked, all of her trinkets vibrating passionately as she strode powerfully towards them. Her head is down so he can't see her eyes, but something about the ways she's moving tells Steven that she's in desperate need for a hug.

"Rose! Hi Rose! Hi!" Steven shouted rushing towards her before Sapphire or Ruby can stop him. Rose looked up briefly, looking entirely confused and dazed by the sound of his voice before smiling and bending down to catch him in her arms.

"Whoa there, little one. What are you doing here?" Rose chuckled, her voice hoarse with something Steven can't recognize.

"Rose, is everything all right?" Steven asked, looking up from the prickly jacket with a pout. "Are you hungry too? When I get hungry, then I feel all tired and bad too." Steven cupped his hand over his mouth and pressed against Rose's cheek, since her ear was entirely enclosed in pink and whispered. "If you want I stashed some secret candy in my bag, they're not that good for you and you can't tell Nanefua cause I'm not s'pose to eat them before dinner."

"Oh, everything is…alright. I suppose…that perhaps…I am _hungry_." Rose mumbled, picking him up with a heavy sigh. The dark light in her eyes fizzles out, replaced with exhaustion.

"Your jacket's very prickly." Steven mumbled, trying to find a soft place to rest his head.

"I'll take it off for dinner."

"May we join?" Sapphire dragged Ruby behind her as she asked. "I know Phena isn't too interested in eating and Steven is hungry now. I've heard humans like eating together in social settings."

Steven's tummy gave a loud grumble and he nodded excitedly. "We can all eat together! It'll be just like back home!"

"If you don't mind, of course?" Ruby asked, straightening her heavy jacket, secretly clasping her belt back on.

"Of course I don't mind, well I only need to change out of this. And of course I need to contact the replicator staff and the servants need to choose a private banquet hall." Rose begins to ramble on and on, listing every detail she can managed to think of.

"I'll take that as a yes." Ruby snickered.

"She's so excitable." Sapphire sighed, shaking her head.

"Well do you mind taking Steven while I get out of this dreadful thing?" Rose sets Steven down between Ruby and Sapphire. "Phena made me wear shoes, _real_ shoes! I'm a Diamond for crying out loud, I can spare energy to just make _shoes_ , but no – I just have to wear whatever these are!"

Rose lifts her skirt to reveal her poor feet, both strapped into incredibly uncomfortable looking shoes.

"Horrible." Ruby grunted, rolling her eyes.

"Quite so." Sapphire agreed.

"I think they look sorta pretty." Steven peeped, jumping slightly with enthusiasm.

Rose peered down at the shoes once again, mouth twisted up into a contemplative pucker. "Well I suppose they're not _too_ terrible."

Ruby and Sapphire rolled their eyes together, watching fondly as Steven hopped around Rose, singing a song about what he wanted to eat for dinner.

The dark, dangerous gaze that had been unpleasantly lurking on Rose's face as she whipped around the corner was long gone and finally a real smile began to bloom on her face.

* * *

 **A/N: OMG** , guys I'm so sorry for the three month gap in updates. At first it was just college and I had made tons of progress during March and then I had a family member pass away this month and it was like the writing well just dried right up. This chapter took me absolutely foreveerrrrrrr (even outside of college and all the other stress)! College is about to be over so I'm hopeful to resume a regular, end of the month update like I usually do.

There's only a few more chapters of the exposition before we start getting into the real meat of the plot. Sorry it's going so slow. More Garnet and Pearl coming soon, maybe some Amethyst too, Connie is being written as you read this very sentence. Next chapter, Rose and White Diamond.

Thank you for your patience, I really hope you enjoy this. Thank you for your favorites, follows and reviews.


	13. Chapter 13

**Rose's POV**

* * *

Steven is like a breath of fresh air. The maddening perfume of Phena's infuriating provocation had been swirling around Rose like a tempest about to ravage the earth. Trying to escape Phena's influence is truly an impossible task. Even with nearly a hundred feet between them, Rose can still _feel_ her and hear her.

It always starts off so easy between them, despite the awful transgressions of the past few millennia, they still maintained an erratic intimacy. They _do_ have a public image to keep up for an empire – so even when they're at each other's throats they cannot remain apart; no matter how much they need the space.

An abandoned seething argument that morning spiraled out of control and neither of them had yet let it go. Even arm in arm, their students and faculty roaring with praise, Rose struggled to keep herself in check. As soon as the lights are off, all pretenses drop, and the seething whispers turn into shouting. They're muted shouts, eyes are everywhere, and somehow the stifled element only makes the argument worse.

Rose isn't really sure what set her off. Phena, one of the best orators in the galaxy, had been speaking so quickly that the words had blurred together. Somewhere in that rush of hateful words, one sparks off an explosion. Rose had run off, blind and immersed in rage and fearful of what she would've done had she not left.

She hadn't had a plan, all she had was rage and an innate need to rid herself of it. Stars know what she would've done if Sapphire hadn't intervened with Steven.

As soon as he's in her arms - no the moment she can perceive his little voice, the dangerous power bubbling under her skin – which had been begging to escape her and ravage and destroy, finally begins to calm. Steven's made her so pleasantly peaceful and almost happy again, that when she makes it to her suite humming his dinner song, she can't even bring herself to sneer at Phena.

There's no time to be angry or to fight. Steven is downstairs and he's hungry. Once she begins to focus on him, it's as if all her other problems fall away. The dim urges of foreign maternal instincts that she had never had the opportunity to truly explore with him when he was an infant had been flooding her body.

She knows it's affecting her behavior. She will admit that it's along the lines of her normal, rash behavior – buying useless human toys that she thinks he might like, being easily distracted and being unnecessarily doting towards any gemlings she comes across – has only marginally increased.

But it's enough of an increase to warrant a response from her…"devoting" wife. The behavior itself is innocent. The average partner wouldn't even put much thought to it, but Phena has never been average in a day of her life.

Phena is always watching, her sterling eyes eerily present whenever Rose slips up. Rose knows what it looks like to Phena; it looks like an affair, it looks like Phena's constant vigilance is slipping up. Rose knows that even the slightest suspicion might as well be a credible act against their entire union. Though their fidelity agreement still stands, and Rose had promised on her life that she wouldn't break it until the gemlings were fully matured; Phena had never been a very trustworthy gem. The surveillance and the monitoring that had been trailing Rose since the twins' birth, increases several times over.

In response, Rose set up a quiet system of some of her own closest adversaries. Constant, watchful eyes that attentively monitor Phena's quiet movements within their gem administration. Rose doesn't care about the accusations or the monitoring, as long as Phena's eyes weren't ever focused on Steven, then she would endure it.

But even that wouldn't be enough. Phena leads half the galaxy's intelligence agencies – if she wants to find out something, she _will_ find out.

"I want to have dinner."

It floats through the main suite, Phena's voice though devoid of emotion, is truly beautiful. It's hypnotizing; one breath and she can have an entire room enraptured with even the most mundane of conversations. If Rose wasn't a veteran to the seductively distracting quality of Phena's voice, she might have been drawn from the depths of her cavernous closet, but she remains steadfast in a sea of dresses.

She has too many dresses. Even that is an understatement. She owns a ridiculous amount of dresses, hundreds upon hundreds of dresses that have been acquired over the centuries. But not any dress would do. This dress needs to be special.

It has to be truly a magnificent piece that would make Steven happy. Maybe she would even do something with her hair – Steven seems fond of her hair. Whenever he hugs her, he buries himself in her curls and the nape of her neck.

She likes the way it feels; the warmth of his little arms and the puff of his breath on her skin. It stirs something instinctual within her that demands she constantly be in contact with him, or near him or aware of where he is.

Perhaps it's a carrier thing. Steven is the only child she's ever carried. Being a natural provider meant that her body had never been the temple for any of her offspring, so she's not sure how it works for carriers. Rose had read up that gems were capable of being both provider and carrier, but it was a rarity among rarities. She's thankful for that, it's perhaps that statistic of impossibility that's helping keep Steven safe from prying eyes.

"Rose…did you hear me? I want to go to dinner."

It's that very quiet statement which makes Rose stand up, which then caused a giant box of dresses she'd hidden (probably because she had bought them out of compulsion and knew she would be scolded if they were found) to fall onto her. And it's in this box that she finally finds _the_ dress.

It's beyond perfect. Her most beautiful dress. A faded off white material paired adorned with pink clasps shaped like roses around the straps that emphasized the rosy pink blush of her skin. It sparkles even with no light and it's even softer than her hair. Steven will love it. He had been trying to burrow himself into her jacket, but all those ridiculous badges had prevented him from doing so. Now he would be able to accomplish his hugs without pain.

Now to determine whether or not she should wear shoes.

"Rose?" Phena glided into the closet, her arms crossed. "What are you doing?"

Phena, now stripped of her ridiculous hair do and traditional military garb, only wears a simple, sheer nightgown. It's a silent invitation, a question that doesn't have to be asked; an out to forgive their earlier terrible argument, a means to distract her. Typically, Rose would be more than happy to comply – there are some forms of manipulation that she's learned to live with. Physical favors, even if it's with Phena, are something she's never been afraid to dabble in, especially since their binding contract of fidelity.

"I'm picking a dress." Rose shrugged, shoving one giant mound of fabric away from the mirror. There's a hill of shoes somewhere – she'd have to ask one of the pearls for help – but after some quiet deliberation she kicks the notion away. Shoes are for diplomatic meetings and ceremonial obligations, but not for Steven or Ruby and Sapphire for that matter (those two have eaten at a hand-me down coffee table in their living room since before Garnet was born). Steven seems to share her own dislike for fancy shoes, he would definitely understand.

"Picking a dress for what?" Phena gazes at the mess of dresses with undisguised distain. She smoothly navigated closer, Rose catches the subtle sway of Phena's hips and the intoxicating whiff of perfume lingering around her.

"Don't act as though you already don't know the answer." Rose huffed. She caught Phena prowling in the corner of her eyes. "I thought we had an agreement, you don't enter my private spaces."

Phena delicately laid herself across a chaise she uncovered under a hill of dresses. "I wouldn't have come in here if you had answered me, Rose."

"I'm busy." Rose glared. "You often ignore me when you're busy and you don't see me complaining."

"That's the difference between you and me." Phena chuckled, eyes glued to Rose as she modeled the dress in the mirror. "I am a _good_ wife."

Rose snorted, unable to contain her amusement at such an obviously erroneous statement. Phena's little smile grew, her perfect white teeth gleaming in the warm golden light. Rose finally turned around, facing Phena her dark eyes soft but guarded.

"What do you want?"

"To go to dinner with you."

"You hate eating." Rose rolled her eyes. "You told me the other night during that dinner for President Ngyuen that and I quote: 'Eating is the bane of my existent'. So what do you really want?"

"There are a number of things I _really_ want. I want the diplomat from the planet Eros to contact me about the progress of the peace meetings – she probably won't. I would like our daughters to stop spending so much of our funds on useless human body modifiers." Phena gently raised herself, watching as Rose stripped. "I would like for you to stop throwing that _very_ expensive military jacket onto the floor, that thing cost more than most of this closet-."

"My honor, doesn't lie in a jacket and we could afford dozens of them if need be." Rose mumbled, slipping into the dress. It's truly a lovely piece. It's thankfully rather new; a pleasant gift she had received as payment for discreetly cleaning up an explosive political scandal. It fits her body perfectly, something she demands, because unlike common gems she's perfectly capable of diverting energy into shapeshifting clothes.

"Perhaps it doesn't and yes we could," Phena sighed. "But I know that the gem who made it for you, would think differently."

"You didn't answer." Rose smoothed down the fabric around the star-shaped cut out that exposed her gem.

"I wanted to know who you're going to dinner with."

"Forgive me if I'm unconvinced that you don't already know." Rose mumbled.

Phena's little smile widened a little, her sharp canines glittering. "Though thorough I am, your Sapphire is quite the little tactician. Even my best gems couldn't keep up with her. I'm afraid they only caught the end of your little conversation."

"Who should I personally thank for that eavesdropping?" Rose hissed. "I would say it was your little pearl, Silver, but you fractured her right to her core and my medical staff have yet to tell me if she'll ever reform again."

"You're too sentimental. They're _pearls_ , we literally have thousands between our estates." Phena scoffed. "I'll never understand your ridiculous empathy for such things. And for your information, it was Alkal."

"At least it's not a gemling this time." Rose muttered under her breath.

"I'm surprised you're not more upset." Phena whispered, sidling up behind Rose and slowly tracing her hands up and down Rose's thighs.

"Your constant belief of my infidelity is astounding." Rose watched Phena's cold hands crawl slowly downward. She doesn't stop them and Phena's touch grew stronger. "If you _didn't_ have eyes on me, you'd of thought Ruby, Sapphire and I had a threesome. At least with someone watching, I have a constant witness to my purity."

Phena snickered at the word 'purity'. "If I wasn't watching, who knows what you would've done."

"If you weren't watching, I would've respected our contract and Ruby and Sapphire's marriage vows." Rose rolled her eyes, sinking into Phena's strong embrace. "Oddly enough, you'll notice I don't have an entire army of gems watching and recording your every move."

"Oh you don't?" Phena's hands slip seamlessly under Rose's skirt and the sheer slip underneath it. When their skin makes contact Rose is unable to stifle the gentle buck of her hips. Rose can practically feel Phena's arrogant glee at that little response.

"Nope." Rose gently bunched up her skirts higher, letting Phena's cold hands explore further. "Because _I'm_ a good wife."

Phena doesn't laugh, she only nuzzles into Rose's neck, ducking underneath her thick bushels of curls. Phena's lips press gently into the nook of her neck. "Who are you going to dinner with? Is she someone I know?"

"She is a he."

"Oh…" Phena's descent freezes, the grip of her hands tighten where she's left them. "A human then? I should've suspected. You've always had a peculiar taste for them." Phena's euphonic voice takes on an even more harmonious quality, her breath colder than ice on Rose's neck. " _Which one_? You've been steadily supplying them into the staff, I had the benefit of the doubt to believe that perhaps you were truly attempting to fulfill our diversity qualification. But you just wanted to lay them out on the table, didn't you?"

"Oh my stars, Phenakite!" Rose growled, she shoved Phena away, resisting the urge to rub away the cold spot on her neck. "You cannot be _serious_? Can you at least attempt to exert an ounce of control of yourself?"

"I should say the same of you!" Phena snarled. "So which one? How long? I should've known you wouldn't have been able to help yourself. Stars, it's disgustin-."

Rose whipped around, her eyes burning. " **D** o **n 't y** o **u** d **a r e**!"

"Why shouldn't I? They are beneath us!" Phena snarled. "You slandered your title with your preposterous desire for something so weak! To stoop so low, it's an insult to our heritage and it is _disgusting_."

"It's an insult to this planet that you would strut around with such a discriminatory attitude!" Rose balled her fists and turned back toward the mirror, pulling the skirt back down around her legs. "You show more respect to a damn jacket than you would the women and men who died for us."

"Gems died for us too!"

"Gems wouldn't have had to die if _we_ hadn't brought _our_ war to this solar system." Rose steadied her hands alongside the mirror's frame, shaking as she struggled to remain in control of herself. "Humans are lifeforms, maybe not the most advanced or strongest but they're just like us! I'm not ashamed, nor will any of your actions make me ashamed of my love for them. What I chose to do, I won't have you…slandering my partners or my relationships."

"Your affection for the weak is despicable, uncomely of a Diamond or any gem of power for that matter." Phena sneered. "I could accept that our…physical relations were lacking for your voracious appetite. I didn't mind the flings – even with the pearls, but _humans_. Was I really not enough, so much so that you had to stoop to _humans_?"

"For stars' sake, stop saying it like that! Like it's a damn curse word." Rose felt the glass shiver in the mirror's panel. She wanted to move away – distance was the best remedy for their arguments. But if she moved one inch, she would be right in Phena's face. It's in every facet of her gem to fight – Phena knows it too. Phena always pushes and pushes until Rose snaps. "And it isn't about you. You came into this relationship at the beginning of the war knowing that I don't do monogamy."

"It isn't about the monogamy." Phena's eyes burned holes into Rose's broad back. "We aren't common gems. Who could resist hundreds if not thousands of beautiful gems throwing themselves at our feet – all hoping that they somehow will produce a worthy heir of the title Diamond? It's the fact that you would even have an inkling of hope, that such an heir could be produced with an alien."

Tiny cracks begin to seep into the glass, quietly traveling as Rose's grip only grows stronger. "You know, not everybody enters relationships to produce heirs or a legacy. Sometimes relationships are formed because you _love_ someone and you enjoy their company."

"And some human is more capable of providing you with love than I?" The glass shatters, exploding from the frame and onto the carpet. Rose whirled around, eyes dark and wet.

"And what if one was?" Rose shouted, pressing herself against Phena. Their bodies clash – vibrant pink against bleak white. "What if a human could? What if a human made me feel like _nothing_ that you ever could? I have enjoyed your embrace and a great number of gems before and after you, and none have ever brought me to the brink of such pleasure as a _human_."

Phena's sterling eyes darkened until they resembled the depths of a gaping black hole. "Don't you **dare** -."

"But it's true!" Rose's face twisted into lifeless smile. "And it would be an insult to your intelligence to even suggest that you didn't know it. But you know what's the most surprising, my good wife, is that you would even care."

Rose pushed Phena against a wall. Even though Phena was significantly taller, the fire in Rose's eyes dissipated the difference with ease. "You are a Diamond. The first carved out of our very world. Armies fight for you, gems adore you, and you have everything that any gem would ever ask for. But you're jealous of a human?"

"Don't mock me." Phena's breath was cold against Rose's skin. "As if I would ever be jealous of your disgusting fling with your silly human."

"Oh really, dearest of mine?" Rose cooed, caressing Phena's sharp cheeks. "Now you insult _my_ intelligence. Did you really think, that I wouldn't notice the massive security breach at the Calcite containment unit? Perhaps, I might not have – I'll give you that, but a corrupted Amazonite of that size escaping, and then somehow traveling over two hundred miles to Delmarva. I may not be as smart as you, but I'm not stupid."

"You think a security breach is a production of this fictitious jealousy?" Phena hissed.

"I don't think anything, I **know**. You never go into battle simply with an unbalanced rumor." Rose smirked. "You see, the coast that that Amazonite ventured to, it only has one city on it. Just one, a very small one but one nonetheless. I suppose I don't even have to tell you it was Beach City – the last place where I was with a human."

Phena is quiet, her darkened eyes locked onto Rose's. "That man ruined you. You take me for a fool. This past year, you've been ridiculously happy. You may not have ever loved me, but I know what love looks like on your face. And I know that that happiness isn't from me." Phena's voice rose in pitch, her beautiful face marred with a scowl. "Your old gem lovers are off planet, you haven't even so much as touched your pearl let alone bed with her and you aren't coming to my bed – so I made an assumption. I followed you and your servants and their servant's servants until I was sure that it was Beach City."

"You would wipe an entire city, thousands of people off a map, because of one man?" Rose whispered confoundedly. "And only on baseless rumors? What in the stars where you thinking?"

"You don't understand." Phena whispered, gripping Rose's shoulders desperately. "We don't have an heir together. Rainbow and Chally are not going to be Diamond worthy material let alone even Crystal Gem material. I know it, and so do you. Times are desperate, our empire grows every day and the longer it grows without our heirs, the stronger that Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond become. I was thinking about our future!"

"You were thinking about **POWE** **R**!" Rose growled, slamming her fist into the wall. Phena flinched and let her hands fall back to her sides. "That's all you can ever think about. Is power. What in the stars' names would killing this man do about that? Did you even think about the other humans who live near him? The families, the children – the _innocent_?"

Phena huffed, drawing herself up to her true height. "If you were paying attention to him, you couldn't be in my bed. You're wasting time and energy bedding a human, we should be focusing on _us_!"

"What is the point?" Rose moaned. "If the past few millennia has been any evidence to the effectiveness of us 'focusing', then it would seem we're doomed to failure! Haven't you ever wanted more than this – struggling to maintain power isn't a life?"

"No." Phena's eyes are hard and don't waver. "I am a Diamond. My entire being is devoted to this empire and my - _our_ , legacy and power. And there was once a time that you felt the same. This planet has made you soft."

"No, _our_ war opened my eyes." Rose whispered fervently. Her eyes shone as she separated herself from Phena. "We left our Homeworld, we left **_her_** , because we couldn't afford to be stagnant any longer. We can't be ignorant to change any longer, we have to _change_! If we remain like this, we'll be no better than Homeworld."

Rose gathered up the brunt of her skirt and waded through her sea of dresses to her giant vanity. She has a penchant for jewelry – nothing reminiscent of gems (the earth naturally produced dull, small duds of gems after the one and only natural kindergarten failed here so many years ago). The gaudier the better.

Tonight though she plans to keep it simple. Just a pair of earrings will do – there's no one to impress or intimidate and Phena won't be there at her side, dropping snide comments.

"You haven't brought that bastard here have you?" Phena hissed. "I wouldn't put it past you."

"With such a vigilant eye, you'd think you wouldn't have to ask." Rose snapped.

"Looking around at your closet and the many dresses I told you not to purchase," White Diamond waved around at the closet, managing to unearth another hidden box of dresses, much to Rose's chagrin. "Reminds me how well you often slip past my vigilant eye."

"Well, I haven't. He and I haven't spoken face-to-face since the twins were hatched. As you demanded." Rose mumbled. The earlier emotions on her face slowly drained away into. "I'm dining with our newest academic addition."

"When Yellow Diamond's newest gemling arrives in the next week will you extend the same courtesy?" Phena scoffed.

"Stars, no!" Rose rolled her eyes. "That gemling came out of the geode chattering a million lightyears a second." She glided quickly back in front of the mirror. "This dinner is to the benefit of us both really and our work."

"Elaborate." Phena barked.

"Our diversity efforts." Rose rolled her eyes again, too used to Phena's brusque tone to correct her or bring herself to care. "We _are_ fighting every other regulated gem-school on the planet that's trying to diversify its student population. Our newest charge will benefit us all if this goes right."

"You've managed to find a human who passed all of our aptitude tests?"

"No." Rose draped a sheer shawl around her shoulders. "A half-gem. Perfect situation really. Poor human lineage, gem mother left him unclaimed, and he's non-violent and without any physical deformities."

Phena perked up slightly. Gem regulated schools were slowly being pressured by the United Planetary Council to integrate a human population into their education systems. Crystal gems were considered the highest ranking military officers off and on planet – the legends of their heroism rang across the galaxy. Earth wanted a champion, a crystal gem of their own. The only way to become one was to attend a gem regulated academy and pass the rigorous physical and scholastic examinations.

Creating a safe program designed to test humans, preparing the gem population and preparing for the tense bigoted backlash was taking time on all the schools' part. The only option they currently had was to accept half-gems.

Last year the Sea Spire Institution had publicly accepted a half-gem and had received nearly double their funding for the human-integration program (of course after an extremely violent incident between said half-gem and a quartz they had been expelled). A half-gem with a non-violent history, who looked more like a human and less like a gem, was a goldmine.

"He is…stable?" Phena asked, her eyes suddenly twinkling with voracity.

"Absolutely." Rose hid a smirk. Phena might despise the human race, but she wasn't above using them to further her wealth. "He's cute as a button – gems parents won't be able to object. I've been doing my best to make sure he's comfortable, but of course…if you insist that I eat dinner with you instead of ensuring his acceptance and happiness-."

"No," Phena straightens her gown, a quiet smile growing on her thin lips. "If the boy stays for an entire semester, the council will approve our funds claim for the integration program. Not only that, but all eyes of the press will be focused on us."

"It will truly be a good thing." Rose sighed. "I'm going to be late."

"Yes!" Phena was suddenly pulling at Rose. "You can't be late. We need to make the best impression. Do whatever you believe is necessary to ensure that he wants to stay here – even it means spending a little of the funds, do it. We'll make nearly triple if he's happy."

"I know, I know." Rose let Phena drag her to the door. "He's not a hardened politician though – money isn't going to cut it. I'll need to spend plenty of time with him – you won't mind?"

"Spend plenty of time with him then!" Phena clasped her hands exasperatedly. "What's to mind? We'll both be so busy these next few weeks anyway,"

"Also-."

"You're going to be late!"

"Give me a second." Rose laughed, calmly placing a hand on Phena's shoulder. "I know you're enthusiastic and I know that you'll want to introduce yourself, but please remember the last time you met a human child."

Phena shivered. "It threw up on me."

"You threw her in response and it took funding that child's schooling and her children's children schooling to put that under the rug." Rose sighed. "Humans are delicate, like gemlings. We want him to stay and you can be… _intense_ to say the least. Let me assure that he wants to be here before you introduce yourself, that's all I ask."

"Fine, just make sure he stays." Phena whispered, before pressing a light kiss against Rose's forehead. "And…I'm _sorry_ …about earlier."

"You don't have to lie." Rose gently cupped Phena's cheek. Her dark eyes, impalpable. "Not to me. You should know by now that one little lie of an apology isn't going to forgive this mess you've made."

Phena smiled gently, her own eyes flashing. "Neither would a century of fidelity from you, my love."

Rose pressed a delicate kiss to Phena's gem, eliciting a shiver. "With such a good wife, gems would wonder, why I ever strayed."

* * *

 **A/N:** My greatest and sincerest apologies for the delay - I had to rewrite this 5 freaking times. This story seems to evolve on it's own sometimes, which means every time I write a new part, new ideas pop up and blaghhagaga. Sorry for all the exposition in this one (slow burn to the max), I'm going to try to start picking up the pace. There's just a lot of world building that I like to do and exposition is the only way I know how to do it. Because of the picking up of the pace, chapters are gonna be on the long side (but I'm sure you guys won't mind too much)

Thank you for your patience - the schedule for CGA is kinda weird, but I'm gonna do my best to get it out as regularly as my schedule allows. Of course, if I messed something up or you got lost during the tsunami of exposition, then don't be shy: PM me or leave a review. And as always, thank you for your favorites, follows and your lovely reviews.


	14. Chapter 14

Rose dropped by Steven's room, the perfect picture of grace and beauty, practically glowing. Steven had changed out of his blazer and had been wrestling with Ruby while they waited. Sapphire watched from the bottom bunk, a small smile on her lips.

"Hi Rose!" Steven gasped, rocketing out of Ruby's grip and barreling towards her with a giant grin. "Whoa, your dress is really pretty."

"Thank you." Rose beamed, capturing him a big hug and twirling around much to his delight. "I chose it just for you."

"Cool!" Steven gasped, eyes bright with stars. "I-I don't really have any dresses or anything but this is my lucky pair of underwear – I'll wear them just for you!" He untucked a pink band from under his pants with a grin. Rose dissolved into giggles, snuggling into him as he continued chatting happily.

"I forgot how much energy kids have." Ruby plopped down onto the rug, panting slightly. "Garnet hasn't been that energetic in forever."

"She moves for sparring class." Sapphire snickered. "Or to avoid chores."

"Oh, she's just growing up is all," Rose smiled fondly. "If I remember correctly, you two were exactly like that around her age."

Ruby and Sapphire rolled their eyes and mumbled quiet denials. Steven sat up, wrapping his arms around Rose's neck, peering closer at the shiny, whale shaped earrings dangling in her curls. "Did you know Ruby and Sapphire when they were Garnet's age? Did you all go to school together?"

"I did know Ruby and Sapphire." Rose giggled. "But we weren't going to school together. Remember, I was educated on Homeworld. Ruby and Sapphire attended Crystal Gem Academy, just like you're going to."

"But then where were you?" Steven asked, brows furrowed.

"I was still running this school full time back then." Rose said. "I was the headgem, like Iolite is now. I knew Ruby and Sapphire because they were both rather notorious in their classes for troublemaking."

"Lies!" Ruby grunted, rolling into Rose's side. "I was an angel!"

"Angels don't start fights with teachers." Rose pointed out. Ruby only stuck her tongue out. "Sapphire wasn't much better, I received a note about her every other day. If she wasn't skipping class, she was mocking her teachers or 'cheating' on tests."

"School and I never truly agreed with one another." Sapphire shrugged, not even chagrined. "If my mother hadn't threatened to take away my inheritance than I might not have gone."

Ruby popped up and made her way to the bottom bunk on her knees. "But, then you met me and suddenly school wasn't so bad was it?"

"My mother thought I was cracked when I practically ran to school each day." Sapphire giggled, kissing Ruby's cheek.

"If anything their meeting made their behavior worse." Rose whispered to Steven. "They kissed everywhere. In the cafeteria, their classes, even during sparring."

"Yeah, I can believe that." Steven nodded, watching Ruby and Sapphire kiss on his bunk bed. "Is Garnet like that?"

"Garnet? Goodness, no. She's _much_ better than her parents. She only fights when she needs to and she doesn't mock any of her teachers." Ruby whipped her head around at that.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Ruby growled playfully. "You'd think you didn't like us very much during our schooling years."

"I didn't say that." Rose shrugged, stifling a cheeky grin. "I only said I preferred Garnet as a student, much more than I did _you_."

"Oh, bring it on!" Ruby laughed. Steven slid from Rose's arms and into her plentiful skirts as Ruby launched herself at Rose. They tumbled onto the ground, both snickering.

Steven crawled toward Sapphire, who had slid off the bunk and onto the floor. "Hey Sapphire, I'm confused. If you were as old as Garnet is now, but Rose was still the head of the school then…?"

"Then how old is Rose?" Sapphire finished. She wasn't surprised as Steven crawled happily into her lap – despite his initial shyness, he warmed up incredibly quickly. She stroked his curls. "Rose is particularly old. Older than Ruby and I by many, many millennia."

"What'sa millennia?" Steven asked.

"It's a unit of time consisting of one tho-."

"SAPPHIRE!" Rose whined. She held a grinning Ruby to her chest with a pout. "You aren't supposed to just go revealing a gem's age!"

"Hmm…so Rose is super old huh?" Steven asked, purring as Sapphire massaged his temples.

"You told him I'm super OLD?" Rose gasped in mock horror, she collapsed back onto the rug; Ruby still trapped in her arms began to guffaw.

Sapphire ignored as Rose began to pretend to sob and as Ruby joined her. She did mutter under her breath though, 'I married a gemling' before leaning close to Steven. "Do you remember what I said older gem tend to like – when they walk?" Sapphire giggled as Steven nuzzled their cheeks together.

"Hm? Oh yeah!" Steven jumped up. "I remember! I remember!"

"What are you two whispering about?" Rose released Ruby in favor of capturing Steven again. "About how old I am? What did she tell you? Whatever it is, isn't true. I'm not _super_ old, I'm…marginally inclined toward oldish, I swear!"

Sapphire snickered in the background, dodging a playful shove from Rose, but getting captured in a hug by Ruby instead.

"Rose, I really do like playing, but when do you think dinner will be ready?" Steven asked. He was a little nervous to be honest. All the pamphlets he and his father had received hadn't included much by the way of nutrition. There were 'dining halls' that had limited access to food replicators, most of which were only programmed to produce junk food or alcohol (which weren't very good for Stevens.) He had been worried that he might starve (as Nanefua had feared), but Rose apparently ate every day. There was an entire kitchen staff dedicated to just her and her wife. Steven wasn't exactly sure what Diamonds ate, but he hoped whatever it was, was tasty!

"Actually, it should be done by now. We can start walking if you want." Rose sat up, smiling fondly as Steven stumbled clumsily to the door. "I asked them to prepare a rather simple meal – something that would appeal to a child's palettes, so you two don't go looking forward to delicacies."

"I'm good with that." Ruby said from Sapphire's lap, nuzzling subtly into the middle of said lap. "I don't know why gems like eating all that caviar and junk. I don't really understand why humans do either."

"Will there be wine?" Sapphire nudged her partner's face as it moved closer and closer to the middle of her thighs.

"I can order you a bottle, if you don't feel like eating." Rose said, about to stand up when there was suddenly a Steven connected to the back of her legs.

"Rose, I have a question!" Steven announced, raising his hand and losing his balance on her legs and tumbling onto the ground.

"Of course." Rose picked him back up, shaking her head affectionately.

"How come gems don't have to eat all the time like I do?"

"Gem typically can acquire all the energy they need for survival from their gems. But sometimes trying activities, like extended physical activity, summoning weapons, pregnancy, birthing or manipulating ones physical from can deplete our active reserve of energy and to quickly restore it we can consume food or sleep." Rose explained. "Of course, it always comes back with time – it's just faster if not more convenient to eat and rest. It's actually seen as a luxury for gems to have three meals a day, every day."

"I always have to eat or else I stop working." Steven poked his gem through his shirt. "I guess that's okay though, cause I love eating."

Steven's tummy gave a loud growl of agreement.

They began to walk down to the banquet hall shortly after. Steven walked ahead of the gems, zipping from one corner of the hall to the next, jumping onto the warp pad and dancing on it. When Rose finally caught up, he took her hand and held tightly – only squealing a little as he began to bob up and down. As soon as the beam of light released them, Steven took off again.

"Does he even know where we're going?" Ruby chuckled, tempted to run after him.

"No," Sapphire sighed happily, enjoying the warmth of Ruby's hand in hers. "But isn't that what used to make it all the more fun? Running around without a care in the world?"

"Is it bad that I want him to be like this forever?" Rose whispered, her gaze never leaving him. "I wish he'd fit in my arms forever."

"It feels like just yesterday Garnet was his size and running straight into trouble." Ruby grunted. She coughed slightly, turning away to brush a fist against teary eyes. "Man, they grow up way too fast."

"Much too fast." Sapphire agreed. It did really only feel like yesterday that Garnet had been a hatchling, stumbling around on squat, chubby legs. Getting into plenty of trouble and looking adorable while doing it.

Steven managed to find the dining area by himself and they found him hopping around in the entrance.

"Hi! Hello, my name is Steven." Steven had managed to snag a lagging pearl, following at her heels while she finished setting the table. The pearl didn't answer, but gently patted his forehead and took her leave before he could race after her.

"That kid was shyer than Garnet when we first met, now he's running after pearls." Ruby laughed, hands on her hips as they strolled in. "You really go all out for this kid don't ya?"

The banquet hall Rose had chosen wasn't the grandest or the largest on the grounds, but it was the most lavishly decorated. With the walls covered in intricately adorned tapestries which reminded Steven of the tents people camped up for weddings on the beach. Tiny little baubles of light were strung along the seams and at the apex of all the fabric sat a massive chandelier.

"Rose, it's so warm and fluffy in here!" Steven yelled, rushing toward one of the low squishy seats and snuggling into it. "Look at the table, it's so low you could sit on your knees. And the seats are like bean bag chairs. This is the best dinner ever!"

"He told me he usually ate in the van with his father or on his father's bed." Rose explained, grinning as his bare feet brushed over the soft carpet. "They didn't really have a proper table except when they ate out or if they ate at Nanefua's house. I hope you two don't mind?"

"Fine with me! Sick of all those fancy dinners anyway." Ruby plopped face first into the carpet, flinging her shoes off. "I don't fit into half of those chairs anyway."

Sapphire kicked her shoes off – in a slightly more polite fashion and skirted across the carpet with Ruby crawling behind her, who occasionally made a grab for Sapphire's dainty ankles. They sat down opposite of Steven, still giggling amongst themselves as Rose sat down next to Steven.

Steven fell into Rose's lap, pantomiming swimming through the fluffy sea of fabric. A pearl, who had been quietly surveying them in a shadowed corner (unbeknownst to Steven), came to attention as soon as Rose was seated.

"Would you like to have dinner served now, my Diamond?" The pearl asked, bowing gracefully.

"Violet," Rose gently caressed the pearl's cheek until she looked up. "You needn't be so formal. It's just me. You can call me Rose."

"My Diamond… White Diamond… s-she does not like us speaking to you as if you were our equal." Violet whispered, her face flushed a delicate lilac. Her voice dropped even lower, her large eyes flicking nervously around the large room. "She punished Aster, my Diamond."

"I will see to it that it doesn't happen again." Rose promised, her eyes solid and fierce. Steven didn't like the way the warmth in the room had suddenly fled with those words. He wrapped his arms around Rose's middle, giving her a comforting squeeze. She seemed to soften under his hug and she beckoned Violet closer. She pressed a kiss to the gem nestled in the lithe gem's abdomen. "My doors are always open. If you feel threatened or have any concerns – don't hesitate to come."

"Yes, My Diamond." Violet shivered, seeming almost drunk with Rose's praise. "I-I will bring dinner out."

"Wonderful!" Rose sung. Violet scurried of towards the hidden kitchen. Steven waved at her before slipping back into Rose's lap.

"Rose, my Dad said there aren't any other humans here, is that true?" Steven asked, watching curiously as two more pearls entered from behind a swath of curtain drooping over a lit space.

"What? There are humans here." Rose said, watching Steven's hungry gaze with amusement. "They're mostly adults though. Humans work in our medical centers, they're engineers, administrators and there are even a few human professors. Your doctor, Priyanka actually was a professor of advanced anatomy and health sciences for six years. When she told me she was thinking of retiring because she wanted to spend more time with husband and daughter, I offered her this job."

"So there are kids here?" Steven asked hopefully.

"Um, well yes, but they live and are educated on a separate Isle. I'm afraid you wouldn't be seeing much of them." Rose frowned as Steven wilted back into her lap. "But of course, on the weekends, when you don't have any classes – I would be more than happy to take you there so you could play!"

"Really?" Steven popped back up, wobbling unsteadily in Rose's lap. Behind him Ruby and Sapphire were trying to quiet snickers. Rose tucked Steven under her neck for a hug and stuck her tongue out at them. A whispered wave of stifled 'she's gonna spoil him rotten' and 'they're so cute' washed over her.

"Whatever you want Steven."

Steven fell back down into her lap, ignorant of the glare Rose was giving Ruby and Sapphire and more focused on the dinner being plated. "Oooooh!"

He crawled down the table to get a closer look at a steaming plate of hot dogs. Violet quickly delivered a large bottle of wine in a tin bucket filled to the brim with crushed ice. She poured three large goblets and even before she could scurry away, Rose was taking a hearty sip. "I needed that."

"It's been a long day." Sapphire agreed, taking her own sip.

"It's going to be a long night." Rose groaned, watching Steven from the corner of her eyes. "A long year."

Ruby ignored her cup and leaned forward. "Did she not take the bait?"

"Oh, she took it." Rose shrugged. "Phenakite's greed has always been one of her exemplary flaws. He's as safe as the funds in my account for now."

"And how long will that last?" Ruby asked, looking between Sapphire and Rose.

"White Diamond already suspects that something went on with the human in Beach City. If she hadn't, then she wouldn't have sent that Amazonite." Sapphire said. "She hasn't yet considered the possibility of Steven and her pride won't allow that thought process either."

"But if White Diamond found out about him?" Ruby asked, nervously looking at Steven. He was piling his plate up with all his favorite foods while chatting with one of the attending pearls.

"I don't need future vision to know that the consequences would be calamitous." Sapphire looked Rose directly into her eyes, pushing back her thick bangs.

"What?" Rose asked, leaning forward. "What did you see?"

"Enough." Sapphire's tone was cold. "I know how ruthless White Diamond is and you and I both know what she's capable of. One mistake-."

"I'm doing everything in my power to make sure there aren't any mistakes!" Rose whispered. "We _both_ have."

"And if it isn't enough?" Sapphire shivered. "It isn't just White Diamond I'm worried about, if this doesn't go right."

Rose straightened, her dark eyes bleak. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Our society can't handle another war, Rose."

"I wouldn't need to start a war to keep Steven safe!" Rose growled, struggling to keep her voice down. "I can rally the empire – gem and human alike to help me keep him safe. Whatever means necessary!"

"What White Diamond has in mind for Steven…what she would do if given the opportunity," Sapphire's breath shuddered, she dropped her gaze back to her goblet. "White Diamond has never shied from the title 'monster'."

"She wouldn't." Ruby whispered, disbelief coloring her face. "She couldn't."

"She would." Rose's blinked furiously, she removed her hand from her goblet, clenching her fist tight against her chest. "Phena would do it if it meant restoring her dignity, her power over me, and our empire." She peered at Sapphire. "But I-I wouldn't start-."

"You _would_." Sapphire scowled. "When Poudretteite was shattered at the Splitting, you waged war on Yellow Diamond for another millennia after the peace treaty had been signed."

"Yellow Diamond crushed her with her own _hands_!" Rose snarled.

"And White Diamond would do the same to Steven if given the opportunity." Sapphire seethed. "I'm not saying that retaliation against such a heinous crime wouldn't be well deserved, but wars between the Diamonds never end up well for the rest of our society."

"I know that." Rose insisted. She cupped her hands together, trying to curtail their incessant shaking. "I don't want another war either. I'm still paying for the last."

"I know you don't _want_ another war." Sapphire reached out and placed her and over Rose's. "But you have to understand. This isn't going to be like Poudretteite. When you carry, it's different than siring. Every facet of your gem is dedicated to that gemling's life – you'd sooner lose your mind before you'd let White Diamond go without retribution. It wouldn't be your choice anymore, it would be a carrier's choice."

There's a moment of silence, Steven's chatter softly drifting over into their terse bubble. Ruby looks between Rose and Sapphire, looking uncomfortably fearful.

"A-and there's nothing we can do about changing White Diamond's mind?" Ruby asked. "Anything to prevent the inevitable?"

"No." Sapphire's glass of wine is slowly becoming encrusted in a second skin of ice. "Nothing that _I_ can see."

"Then why don't you claim him?" Ruby finally took a sip of her cup, grimacing at the sweet taste. "He could get a security detail, officers, guards, and the United Gem Authority could have legal power to prevent White Diamond from hurting him."

"It's an option, Rose." Sapphire sighed. "Nobody would fault you for having a human lover. The gems and humans love you, they would rally behind you and Steven."

"But it would only incite Phena's rage further." Rose objected. "Even the thought of me having a relationship with a human, caused her to send a ten ton corrupted gem with the singular objective to destroy an entire town. Me having a child with a human? I would be begging to wage war here on this planet. Any possibility of an heir receiving my powers is a threat to her."

"Why?" Ruby fretted. "I don't understand. Rainbow and Chalcedony are Diamond heirs."

Rose shook her head, her eyes dark and wet. "We haven't produced a diamond heir since Poudretteite."

"But you had six heirs before her." Ruby pointed out.

"Yellow Diamond has eleven heirs – she thinks her youngest might be another. Blue Diamond may only have five, but she just produced two heirs in the past decade." Rose grumbled, reciting the numbers like she'd heard them a thousand times before. "I personally don't care about any of that – this isn't Homeworld and we're in a time of peace. I'm more focused on rebuilding our Crystal Gems reserves. But to Phena, our having Diamond heirs is imperative – her own portion of our growing empire is all she seems to care about."

"I still don't get it, an heir in your name is technically under both of you." Ruby reasoned. "She could claim Steven and have all that his title would come with."

"But if White Diamond didn't produce it, then she sees it as a threat to her power and her offspring's power." Sapphire clarified. "It's an ancient way of thinking, but it's one that isn't going to change anytime soon."

"S-so, what do we do? Just wait for the day until the day she figures it out?" Ruby asked. "Because she is _will_ figure it out! Then what? We let her have Steven?"

"We'll figure that out when it happens." Rose sighed heavily. "If we start pulling strings now, we'll only be bringing attention to him. I don't like saying this any more than you like hearing it; but the smartest – the _safest_ – thing we can do right now, is to lie in wait. If I've learned anything from war, is that you never want to be the one reacting, you want to be the one who acts."

"I hate this plan." Ruby grumbled, pushing her goblet to Sapphire who had already finished hers. "We're sitting chickens."

"I think you mean sitting ducks?" Steven said as he shimmied into Rose's lap. His plate was filled to the brim with his favorite foods – he even added some veggies for Nanefua's sake. "Who's sitting ducks?"

Ruby almost fell backwards, Sapphire snagged her before she could. "Um, nothing kiddo!"

"Okaaay?" Steven raised his eyebrows. "Are you guys al-?"

"I've never seen this food before," Rose interrupted. Steven immediately snapped his gaze to his plate, following Rose's finger. Steven gasped in shock and began rapidly explaining what hot dogs were with a barely breath in between words.

Ruby watched silently, leaning into Sapphire's shoulder. A sweet kiss gently smoothed her wrinkled brow. "Don't worry." Sapphire's calm voice did nothing to deter Ruby's rising anxiety.

"He's just a kid." Ruby whispered sadly.

"I know." Sapphire gently caressed Ruby's cheek. "But he's so much more than that as well. In the end, if we all can survive this, he'll do great things."

* * *

 **A/N:** I did it! Really didn't think I could do it in on time. Whelp, my brain is very much fried. Thanks for your patience, favorites, follows and awesome reviews. If you have any questions/comments/concerns feel free to leave a review or PM me. Sometimes I write things that don't necessarily have any context for the reader - so please contact me if you find like a gap in story that's confusing. If it's not intentional I'll do my best to explain/fix it.

Garnet and Pearl next chapter. I'm going to go pass out now, happy reading!


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** This is happening during Ch.14's dinner scene.

* * *

The "Welcoming Student Extravaganza of Crystal Gem Academy" or the "Extra" (shortened by the impatient student body), is held in the oldest hall on campus. Once hailed as the singular auditorium of the entire academy, it's typically restricted during the school year in order to – 'insure the central historical heritage of the Diamond's great effort is maintained throughout the eons' (Headgem Iolite's favorite quote). And insure it remained mostly untouched by time, Iolite and the past headgems had dutifully done.

It remained completely unchanged despite the enormous technological progress that had occurred since its construction. The room didn't even have electricity, it still ran on old gem generators buried in the base of the isle.

Which explained why the lights and the blaring music - courtesy of the Extra, often fizzled out for momentary static or blanketing darkness. The poor generators weren't designed for such strain. After every blackout, a loud chorus of groans and moans would send a flustered rush of rookie teachers to beg the antiquated system to give them just another hour.

Garnet stood off to the side of it all, comfortable in both the darkness or the violent strobe lights. She watched as the music started again for the fifth time that night. Slowly but surely the dancing kicked off.

She knew the power would be on for only another ten and half minutes. It would take the staff another four minutes to revive the poor system. Garnet planned to make her move then, to find Pearl that is.

They had purposely gotten separated during the end of the welcoming ceremony. Garnet had only needed to catch a glimpse of banded orange skin in her third eye, before promptly ushering Pearl away. Every year, without fail, Jasper would do her best to stop the two of them and berate or challenge them. Be it quartz pride or the arrogance that came with being a Diamond's heir, Jasper refused to back down.

It wasn't as if the two of them hadn't provoked her. Jasper had the temper of a gemling - it really didn't take much. Simply existing in the wrong place was enough. Neither Garnet or Pearl were too sure why Jasper had it out for them so bad – well…they both could understand several petty things that would qualify them for such abuse. That wasn't to say that they were particularly special though, who **didn't** have Jasper after them?

Jasper's scope for morality seemed to stop just short of her bullying gemlings, but after that there were very few gems who were excused from her constant torment.

Avoiding her became something of an art. It was easier for Pearl – she was designed to exist within the frames of elusive shadows. Garnet on the other hand was nearly six feet tall and had a thick halo of hair that added nearly a foot to her height. It didn't help either than she parted through crowds with ease, leaving behind an awed path in her wake.

Garnet had managed to lose the hulk of a quartz, once the lights in the auditorium had been dimmed and the music had begun. From her vantage point, Garnet watched as Jasper violently gyrated, surrounded by dozens of her quartz pack.

Jasper was their center. She was the biggest of them all and it was her movement that commanded their subsequent revolution. Jasper's eyes are thankfully screwed shut, her focus solely on dancing.

With one last glance, Garnet stood and let the darkness consume her and took off with a symphony of complaints to guide her.

…

Pearl isn't easy to find.

But it's nothing future vision couldn't help with. Garnet weaves through the temporary chaos with practiced ease. When she finally escapes the heavy disappointed crowd – she prowled along the fringe, a single eye dedicated to Jasper's every movement. Even in the muted light, the quartz's banded skin stuck out. She was thankfully outraged by the interruption and her eyes were glued to the panicking assembly of teachers.

Garnet found Pearl along the auditorium's southern wall, huddled into a comfortable corner, a fragile glass in her delicate grasp. Pearl was wilted, standing straight up, but managing to remain a mere shadow even in plain sight. As soon as Pearl caught Garnet's eyes, she perked up.

"Where have you been?" Pearl's voice was barely above a whisper – as if Jasper was mere inches away instead of several yards.

"Northern wall, waiting. I couldn't move." Garnet shrugged. "What are you drinking?"

Pearl's pale lip crumpled into a grimace. "I was handed it – it's champagne I think? Here you can have it."

Garnet takes the slight flute between her fingers, daring a quick sip and shrugging before downing it whole. "Have you seen Bismuth?"

"Unfortunately, no." Pearl scowled, wrapping her arms around herself. "Honestly, I haven't see Agate or Snowflake either. We're all too good at hiding."

"That's a good thing in our case." Garnet sighed, licking the sweet condensation on her lips.

"Can you… _see_ them?" Pearl asked, eyes flitting nervously across the room. "I've kept my eye on the exit, I would've seen them leave."

Garnet paused, closing her eyes and willing the current of time to flood her mind space. The rush of the future was sometimes incredibly uncomfortable – it filled her up to the brim and often immobilized her if she wasn't careful.

There are quick flashes. Moments that have yet to come – never to come, that fade and strengthen and diminish in a single breath. She pulls one current to the forefront of her attention, it's colored in Bismuth's broad and bright form, pitted against a familiar shade of banded orange.

"We need to get Bismuth." Garnet grabs Pearl's hand and drags them back toward the center of the room in the blink on an eye. "And fast!"

"What? You saw Bismuth?" Pearl is quick to keep up, her eyes wide.

"We need to stop her." Garnet grunted, stopping at the very edge of the crowd that's appeared before them. In the middle of it, a wide expanse of open space is cleared, only occupied by two gems.

Bismuth and Jasper.

Pearl's gasp is a quiet breath, barely even heard above the general murmur of the crowd.

"What is she doing?" Pearl's voice is weak and high.

"Making a colossal mistake." Garnet growled, bringing Pearl closer as the crowd presses together even tighter, all eyes wide and excited. " _Again_."

"You don't have the right to speak to me." Jasper's voice is low, but the room quiets to hear her. A wide, toothy smirk on her face. "You low leveled, facetless metallic clod."

Bismuth grins and then laughs, the usual warmth in her voice Garnet is used to is gone. "If I'm low-leveled I'm scared to know how you would react if you heard what gems have to say about you."

A nervous titter runs through the audience. There isn't a gem in the crowd – even Jasper's personal crew, who haven't been victims or witnesses to Jasper's ruthless bullying. Regardless of class or status, every student can relate to the terrifying authority that Jasper covertly operates under the watchful eye of the school. But Jasper can't be everywhere at once, even her network of lackeys can't stop the undercurrent of furtive, slander that rises like smoke in the aftermath of her destruction.

Jasper's eyes are nearly aglow, like the deepest pit of a flame. As they sweep across the thickening crowd, a wave of synchronized flinches follow. A smug scowl mars her face. "You better watch your mouth, I don't think you know who you're talking to."

"Oh, I know exactly who I'm talking to." Bismuth crosses her beefy arms over chest with a wild grin. "I just don't think you know exactly who _you_ are talking to. Might as well introduce myself, since you don't seem to know."

Pearl's minute shivers have upgraded to fully blown shuddering, anxiety pouring off her in waves. "What is she doing? _What is she doing_?"

Garnet says nothing, head well above the shifting crowd. She remained still even as the crowd fluctuates uncomfortably.

"The name is Bismuth, from the third Terran – handpicked by Pink Diamond for her talent, wit, and strength." Bismuth swaggered over to Jasper, body relaxed, contradicting Jasper's tense pose. "I didn't make it here by my carrier's coattails, I worked for everything that you get the honor to behold – I guess it's hard for you to see that when I'm so high and you're so low." Bismuth is now in Jasper's face – the challenge is palpable. There's a beat of silence, Jasper's glare is scorching and to the average gem it might've burned them to a daunted submission, but Bismuth bathes in lava and she's not backing down.

The challenge is accepted.

Jasper and Bismuth are a blur of grey and orange, spinning in and out of the darkness – the new beat reverberating through the auditorium is the sound of their fists pounding into one another. It's too loud – even louder than the music which had stuttered to a halt during their confrontation. The teachers catch wind.

Garnet doesn't have to close her eyes to see what's about to happen. Bismuth and Jasper are too big – the five unfortunate rookie teachers are no match for the both of them or the frenzy that they're in. Iolite will be called and even though she's no bigger – she holds the future in a single command.

To Jasper that means nothing – her future can be replenished time and time and time again because of who she came from. But Bismuth, it doesn't matter that Rose favors her or that she's rare – expulsion is imminent.

There's only a few seconds to act, a window is quickly coming and closing. Garnet moves before Pearl can even comprehend that she's missing.

She's a blur, sprinting the length of the opening in the moment that the lights flicker out – the music blares momentarily before cutting off again with an echoing click. With a swift kick to Jasper's unsuspecting face, Garnet manages to separate the two, hauling Bismuth up in one hand and keeping Jasper down with the other. Lifting Bismuth is no easy feat, but Garnet manages long enough to get back to the crowd.

They skid into the sea of gems, Garnet on her knees and Bismuth on her face, Pearl suddenly at their side. Pearl shoves them violently onto their feet with strained whispers. They're out of the auditorium before Jasper even knows what hit her.

…

Pearl had not seen her evening going like this. Running through the hallways of her academy like a corrupted delinquent.

"You couldn't just walk away." Pearl panted, hot on Garnet's heels – privy to the fusion's movements as if they were one.

"She stepped on me!" Bismuth shouted, arms wide. "That three facet no-nothing thinks she can step on everybody." She hops on one foot and lifts her offended appendage. "Smudged me, that giant clod!"

Garnet finally slows down, walking calmly into the corridor of the library as if it's any normal evening. She turns around, face blank. "She thinks that, because she _can_."

"She shouldn't be able to!" Bismuth growled. "She's not a diamond."

"But she _is_ an heir." Pearl scowled. "She's got power and privilege that we cannot afford to test." She placed a tiny hand on Bismuth's twitching bicep. "This is her field – she wields the most power and we have to respect that whether we like it or not. We show where we matter the most in the Arena."

Bismuth sighs heavily, hands on her hips as she recovers. "I know that. And I'm sorry. Sometimes she just makes me so _mad_."

"She's infuriating by nature." Garnet shrugs.

"She's always been like that." Pearl adds, cautiously viewing the darkened corners of the library, as if Iolite could pop out from the shadows. "Trust me, a good right hook to the face hasn't convinced her of changing – I doubt much else will."

"Maybe a few hundred ought to do it." Bismuth huffed, a half-hearted smile contrasting her unamused tone.

"Not even that could do it." Garnet smirked, guiding them through the dark with ease. Pearl catches a glimpse of her third eye, as Garnet dips her visor. "Trust me on that."

"Guess I can't argue with future vision." Bismuth laughed, her brow finally unfurrowing. "Rarely gets you anywhere."

"Yes," Pearl mumbled, peering around the familiar bookshelves with a slight frown. "Where's Snowflake?"

Garnet pointed to a corner where a soft blue light was seeping into the darkness. The tall foreboding bookshelves lit up slightly as they pass by, the brightest nook being where both Snowflake and Crazy Lace are sat.

Crazy Lace had shoved herself into the shelves, mindlessly shoving out a host of books and data pads onto the floor, with Snowflake resting against the window wall.

"Where have you guys been?" Snowflake scowled. "Did you guys actually stay at the Extra for more than five minutes?"

"No, Bismuth got into a fight with Jasper." Garnet said, grabbing a stack of books and moving them to the floor before shoving herself in the book shelf.

"Ayyyeee!" Crazy Lace gave Bismuth a high five with a toothy grin. "Did you kick her ass?"

"Well I tried to!" Bismuth grinned. "But I'm afraid Garnet did most of the ass-kicking – a good kick right to Jasper's face." Crazy Lace gave an appreciative 'ooooh', giving Garnet a down low high five, all the while as Snowflakes face twitched.

"You've got to be kidding me, Bismuth!" Snowflake growled. "You're gonna get our team disqualified or worse get yourself expelled!"

Pearl nodded, she had situated herself between Garnet and Snowflake, sitting on the displaced pile of books.

"I know! I know!" Bismuth laid down, letting Crazy Lace lean on her. "I already got the lecture from Pearl."

"And you'll _keep_ getting it." Snowflake ran her hands through her snow-white hair, the minute crystal-like blotches of her skin winked in the dim light. "How are we supposed to make it as Crystal Gems if you can't stop fighting elites? I don't know if you noticed, but all your attempts to fight the matriarchy haven't helped!"

"Hey! It's not elites!" Bismuth objected. "I'm fine with lots of elites – I love Sapphire and Rose and stuff. It's just _one_ particular elite that pisses me off."

Snowflake doesn't seem appeased in the slightest, but she lets it go. This isn't the first time that they've had to have this conversation and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

"We shouldn't stay here for long, they'll be looking for Bismuth." Garnet sighed, arms crossing comfortably over her middle.

"Well Agate is the one who called for this meeting." Snowflake harrumphed.

"Crazy Lace!" Crazy Lace spat, lolling her auburn tongue between her crooked teeth.

"You know most of the Crazy Lace Agates I know, don't go by Crazy – just Lace or Agate or even Chalcedony if their formal." Snowflake pointed out.

"That's just what makes me so great – I break the mold." Crazy Lace grinned, rolling out from the bookshelf and onto Bismuth's back. "But I digress, I got some awesome new intel."

"If this is about the food generators again," Pearl scowled.

Crazy Lace rolled her eyes. "I only did that like one time, P."

"More like fifteen." Garnet noted. "It's not intel that they add more updated options. Everybody in the school is informed when they do that."

"It's not about the food generators!" Crazy Lace said. "It's about the newest recruit to our oh so humble academic abode."

"Oh, another Diamond heir?" Snowflake sighed, unimpressed.

"Nope, that one comes in the next few cycles." Crazy Lace said.

"How do you even know…you know what never mind." Pearl sighed, shaking her head. "I don't want to know how you know."

"Look Pearl, I've got my sources." Crazy Lace grinned. "You'd be amazed at what you can learn if you just keep your ears open. Like how I learned about the new _human_ recruit."

And that stops them all. There two beats of silence and Garnet finally asks, "What do you mean human?"

"Whaddya think I mean?" Crazy Lace scoffed. "A human! More specifically an unclaimed half-gem. Some gems are saying it's a quartz – but human gem colorations are always weird so I dunno."

"Okay," Pearl hums, brow furrowed. "While that is particularly odd. You could've just messaged us about that."

"Oh, Pearly I could've, but then I wouldn't have gotten to see the look on your face when you heard that the little half-gem has got Pink Diamond's full attention."

"Rose always pays attention to special human projects." Pearl huffed, glaring at Crazy Lace. "Like every other one she's taken up, she'll drop it when it loses her interest."

"I dunno Pearl, I heard from the amethysts-."

"You got this from the amethysts?" Snowflake groaned. "You need to stop hanging out with them."

"They're a riot and unlike _some_ gems," At that, Crazy Lace's eyes land on Pearl and Snowflake. "Can take a joke." She shrugged.

"But they're notoriously tricksters – they take jokes too far. For all you know they could've been lying." Pearl sighed, a smug smile on her face.

"But were they G?" Crazy Lace asked, eyeing up the silent fusion with a large grin.

Pearl turned to Garnet hopefully. Garnet shook her head. "They weren't lying. I've caught a few flashes of Rose hanging out with a little human, the same one over and over again. I didn't think anything of it."

"That doesn't mean that it's a gem though." Pearl said. "Rose visits human kindergartens all the time."

"No, he's a gem." Garnet nodded. "I wouldn't be able to see him so clearly if he was fully human."

"Okay, so there's a new human-gem recruit and Pink Diamond has an eye on it." Bismuth shrugged. "Big whoop and…"

"The 'and', my buff Bismuth, is that this kid is crazy powerful. Some are saying he's going to be a contender during the Arena field tests – some are even saying that despite his rookie status, Pink Diamond might personally be placing him in the Arena examinations for Crystal Gem qualifications this semester."

"So, we get to fight someone new for a change, cool." Bismuth shrugged. "Again, with my 'and' Crazy Lace."

"If Pink Diamond is caring for this kid and might actually like this kid – she'll probably want them to be comfortable here. If they're as strong as gems are saying than she'll have to put it in the field tests and have to assign them to one of the teams." Crazy Lace paused, waiting for the epiphany from any of her team mates. When it didn't come, she sighed heavily and continued. "Well, Pink Diamond will likely put them somewhere with a group of gems who she thinks are strong enough to protect and take care of them while they attend here – can any of you think of the two closest gems she knows, who might be her first pick?"

"You've got to be kidding me." Garnet sat up. "She's going to ask us."

"Us?" Pearl squawked. "Y-you mean, you and I?"

"Who the heck else would she be talking about?" Crazy Lace snapped, earning a sharp glare from Pearl. "What?! It isn't like the rest of see Pink Diamond on the daily."

"This isn't the time, Crazy Lace!" Snowflake growled. She turned to Garnet with wide eyes. "So what, we're gonna be forced to escort around some gemling?"

"Not some gemling, a half-human – that's worse than a gemling!" Bismuth sat up, letting Crazy Lace fall to the floor with a thump. "We're screwed, there goes our shot to be Crystal Gems."

"Can't you guys just say no? I mean these preliminary Arena tests are going to define everything." Snowflake asked. Garnet and Pearl share a glance and Pearl sighs heavily. "You two are so close to her!"

"You don't understand." Garnet huffed, wrapping her arms around herself. "Gems don't tell Rose 'no'. Even though to us, she's Rose and not Pink Diamond – that still isn't an option we have. It's not an option any of us have for that matter."

"So, what do we do? Just grin and bear it?" Bismuth groaned. "Watch our futures go down the drain?"

"I know that isn't exactly your style." Garnet sighed. "But it isn't really like we had a choice to begin with."

…

It's beyond a hassle to sneak back to the dormitories after the extravaganza had ended. As they had all suspected, a preliminary wall of teachers had been strategically placed around the entire Isle – most of them placed around Bismuth's assigned dorm.

"Whelp, this is bad." Bismuth sighed, sinking further into the bush they were hiding in. "I bet the entire staff is looking for me! I _hate_ Jasper!"

"And she _really_ hates you." Snowflake whistled, eyeing up the three dozen gems around their hiding spot. "How much of a tantrum did she have to throw to get all these gems out of bed?"

"Probably threatened a personal visit from Yellow Diamond." Crazy Lace huffed. "Stars, she's a pebble."

"Do you see anyway of her getting in?" Pearl whispered, light eyes scanning the dark.

Garnet adjusted her visor. "Nope." The fusion shifted her weight in her squat. "If we can keep her out of sight until morning, Rose can handle this mess."

"Looks like you're bunking with me tonight." Crazy Lace guffawed, wrapping a thick arm around Bismuth's neck.

"What about _your_ roommate?" Snowflake huffed, scanning the area around them.

"Bump that clod!" Crazy Lace spat. "Holly Blue makes me wish I wasn't an agate! It's like Pearl had a gemling who was raised by Jasper but only consumed condescension and haughtiness for food."

"Well thanks," Pearl scowled.

"Yo welcome, Pearly." Crazy Lace grinned. "C'mon 'Bismess', you too Snowy – let's escape the consequences of our good friend's actions." And with complete disregard to stealth, Crazy Lace drags both Snowflake and Bismuth out into the open and bolts off toward her dorm.

"By the stars, Bismuth and Crazy Lace are so reckless." Pearl sat up, her earlier scowl even more pronounced. "We'd be lucky to even be assigned as an Arena team, let alone get a chance at Crystal Gem certification."

Garnet shrugged. "We've always kept them in line."

"Ugh, but that's the thing Garnet! We shouldn't have to!" Pearl hissed, stepping out of the thick bush and looping her arm through Garnet's. They walk causally, but keep themselves doused in the shadows. "And now we have to worry about this _human_!"

"You heard Crazy Lace, it's not as if we'll be given a gemling." Garnet assured her.

"That isn't the point!" Pearl growled. " _She_ always does this! She takes these humans and drops them on us once she loses interest in them! She promised that she would stop doing this. She shouldn't even be fraternizing with them."

"Rose has always loved humans." Garnet started slowly. "She's always loved, _loving_. It's hard for her to stop – maybe even harder for her to delegate it between gems or humans. Just because she has a new one, doesn't mean she loves us any less."

"I know that! And that isn't what we're talking about." Pearl snapped.

"Okay, then what are we talking about?" Garnet hummed.

"We're talking about the _humans_ and Rose." Pearl hissed. "Nothing else."

They sneak through the shadows, weaving in and out of the light, easily making it back to their dorm. It's on the further edge of campus, a good half mile from where Bismuth and the others would be staying.

Their room is simple, on the smaller side, but still spacious in its own right. Their belongings have been placed neatly around the space. Every article of clothing has been prepped and hung, the beds have been made and their personal belongings laid out tastefully. There isn't a single speck out of place.

Pearl busies herself anyway. Somehow, she finds something that has yet to be done and busies herself in correcting it. Garnet watches on, lounging on her bed.

"You know…" Pearl's voice is quiet. "You could've gotten a bigger room. Ruby and Sapphire make enough money to get you a room the size of Jasper's. You know…my… _status_ …is a downgrade – rooming with pearls doesn't get you very much."

"I wanted to be _your_ roommate. The room is perfect." Garnet shrugged, she said it simply. Dismissing the issue easily. "You're changing the subject."

"I thought we were done discussing the human." Pearl tutted, smoothing invisible wrinkles on her bed before delicately sitting down. "There's nothing we can do, right? We never get a choice in these matters anyway. Rose always does what she wants."

"I know that." Garnet said. "I also know that this is bothering you more than it should. This isn't our first human."

"And certainly, not our last." Pearl scoffed, she mindlessly drew patterns on the wall next to her bed. "I'm just tired, Garnet. As soon as she loses interest in this human – we'll be the ones to deal with the aftermath. And once again, we'll see the real nature of humans – the ugly side that Rose chooses to ignore. If she knew how they really were, she wouldn't even be talking to them."

Garnet huffed. "There have been a lot of humans who aren't…quite as ideal as Rose would like to believe." Pearl hummed at that. "But that doesn't mean they're all bad though."

"Oh certainly." Pearl hissed sarcastically. "With all of Rose's constant praise, there must be _something_ there earning them this right."

"Maybe there really is, Pearl." Garnet said. "Rose doesn't quite see the world like anyone else. If she says they're good, then at least one of them must be."

Pearl is quiet, her eyes glued to the ceiling. "Rose says that to see the good in anything, you have to look closely. I'd always believed that she meant that objectively. But sometimes I don't think Rose can be objective when it comes to love." Pearl sighed, finally turning toward Garnet. "You know…there have always been rumors about Rose. Rumors that maybe she was closer to the humans than she was supposed to be."

Garnet didn't move, she sat still as a statue. "There have always been rumors. Rumors about her with your carrier, with humans, with secret nefarious plots to overthrow the Diamond authority." At this Garnet finally sat up, letting her visor fizzle out of existence. All three of her eyes bright. "We have always agreed to trust Rose though – it's the one thing she asks of us, to trust her judgement."

Pearl spared a quick glance, her pale eyes uncertain. "I do trust her, Garnet. But we also _know_ her. It really wouldn't be beyond the scope of belief to think that…that this new halfling is closer to Rose than anyone knows."

"It wouldn't." Garnet agreed. "But those aren't questions we're supposed to be asking. I know where you're going with this, you've got a sharper mind than anyone would credit you – pearl or no pearl." A cerulean flush creeped up Pearl's cheeks. "Rose is one of the few gems that has accepted us both. We might not always understand the things she does, but we still have to stand by her side."

Garnet leans forward, reaching her hand out toward Pearl. Her gem gleams in the low light. "I know you're worried. You're right to be, this year isn't going to be easy. But when have they ever been, really? As long we have one another and our friends, we can get through anything."

Pearl's slim hand meets Garnet's with no hesitation.

"Together."

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for the looooong wait. I hadn't even realized it's been over a year since I last updated. If you keep up with my main project, Growing Up With Steven, you know about the whole hard drive fiasco and school kicking my butt, which has been keeping me from writing and updating as much as I used to. I am hoping to change that.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm not all too happy with it myself, it just feels like its missing something and I don't know what. The next update will be next month, likely halfway or three weeks in to the month. Likely three weeks since my finals for my summer class will be happening during the beginning of the month. Bear with me, I will do my best to get this baby updated as promised.

As always, thank you for your patience, your reviews, your favorites, and follows. If there's anything that doesn't make sense, like giant thing that you have no clue what I'm going on about, please feel free to review/PM me. Sometimes I mention stuff that and forget that people who aren't in my brain, don't know what I'm talking about. If it isn't intentional, I will do my best to explain.

Next chapter, we finally get through this 15 chapter day and onto the next. Which happens to have some Maheswarans in it. See you next month.


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